When Jesus
was born on this earth, He brought with Him salvation for all mankind. When He
left, He left a priceless gift, not to the world, but to His Church. This gift is
the gift of the Holy Ghost (John 14:16).
Prior to
His death, the Saviour told his sorrowing disciples: “It is expedient for you
that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but
if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7).
Until Christ’s
ascension, the Holy Ghost administered to the children of men as a testifier of
truth only. The gift of his presence was promised to only them who believe, and
were baptized in His name, “after that Jesus was glorified” (JST John 7:39a).
The gift of
the Holy Ghost would have to be the greatest gift to man second to salvation.
Imagine the privilege of having a member of the Godhead with you always……It’s a
gift worthy of un-surpassing appreciation yet the one that we as members of the
Church often take for granted.
Cast your
mind on all the gifts you just received this Christmas as you celebrated the
birth of Christ. How valuable are they to you? What will you do with them and
how will you cherish the ones you really love? Some Christmas gifts will even
be tossed aside unwanted and some gifts will stay with us unutilized…..much
like the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Consider
this explanation: “There is a difference between the gift of the Holy Ghost and
the enjoyment of the gift…..
“The actual
enjoyment of the gift of the Holy Ghost is a supernal gift that man can receive
in mortality. The fact of its receipt is a witness that the saints so blessed
are reconciled to God and are doing the things that will assure them of eternal
life in the realms ahead.” (Bruce R.
McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 257). In
other words, this gift is a gage of how well we are doing.
Before
Christ’s ascension, the Saviour told His disciples that they shall receive
power when the Holy Ghost comes upon them and because of that they will become
His witnesses ‘unto the uttermost part of the earth’ (Acts 1:8).
By virtue
of our discipleship and as baptized members of His Church, we too have this
power upon us. This is its’ value:
“The gift
of the Holy Ghost quickens all the intellectual faculties….it inspires virtue,
kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. It tends to health,
vigor, animation, and social feeling.
“It
develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual
mind. It strengthens, invigorates, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it
is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music
to the ears, and life to the whole being.” (Parley P. Pratt, Key to the
Science of Theology, p 101)
Have you a
Christmas gift that could possibly equal such a gift as this that the Saviour
made possible to come into the world??? May we show our appreciation and
gratitude throughout the next year as we strive to be worthy of his presence
and may we be reminded every Christmas after that of this great gift of the
Babe of Bethlehem that tells us we are His own.
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art: Beloved Son by Danny Hahlbohm)
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