Wednesday, 27 August 2025

TO WORSHIP

 


“I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.”  (D&C 93:1)

Elder James E. Talmage said that our worship depends upon our comprehension of worthiness of the person we worship and therefore our capacity to worship God is a measure of our comprehension of His being. (“Articles of Faith”, pp 395-96).

For years now as I have studied the scriptures, I have been on the lookout for the Saviour’s characteristics. So far I have 18 on my list. One year I noticed a virtue in Doctrine and Covenants that I had overlooked before. It was the virtue of humility. This is the scripture that opened my eyes to a greater understanding of who the Saviour is:

“Therefore, I command you to build a house unto me, for the gathering together of my saints, that they may WORSHIP ME” (D&C 115:8). Can you imagine the amount of humility it would take to say such a thing for a God of perfect attributes and totally devoid of pride? It would have to be someone who knows perfectly well who he is, is confident in that knowledge and most of all, has a purity of spirit and heart. Compare this to Lucifer’s desire to be worshipped (Moses 4:1-4; 1:16-19).

It amazes me that someone so powerful who calls himself ‘the king of heaven’ (2 N 10:14), who can create worlds and annihilate them by the power of His word (Helaman 12:9-17; D&C 63:4; Isaiah 11:4) can also be so humble. This is the perfection of God, the balance is indisputable. Whenever I discover something new about Him, it’s like I don’t really know Him and I ask in awe, “who are You????” I stand amazed.

In his Conference Report of 1971, Elder Bruce R. McConkie listed 17 ways of being able to worship God, overwhelming I know…. Even he admitted that as he said: “It is ten thousand times ten thousand things….” (Ensign Dec 1971, p 130)

I have never read anything written by Elder McConkie that made me think he didn’t know Christ. The love he had for him is unmistakable. I am sure he observed the whole 17 ways of worship he mentioned.

I don’t know that I am that valiant but when I come face to face with the Saviour, I know I will fall at His feet and I will know Him…..I will know His love and His mercy and I will acknowledge Him to be my Saviour, my God and my King.


My heart is full of thoughts of Thee

As I stand in awe of Thy majesty.

The magnitude of worlds

And the stars of heaven

That roll upon their wings praising Thee;

But none greater than this,

The creation of man, a crowning glory

To Thy priesthood and Thy throne

In endless worship of Thy name

In the splendour of Thy celestial home.

 

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Creation by Yongsung Kim)


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