A LIFE-LINE

 

I often wonder how Adam and Eve felt when they found themselves totally alone in the world. The consolation was that they were not abandoned by God but were only separated from His physical presence. They were left with a life-line called ‘prayer’ (Moses 5:4,5)

When an angel appeared to Adam and asked him why he was offering sacrifice he taught him something very significant, the hierarchy of the Godhead. He told him that he should ‘repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore’ (v eight). This was followed by the witness of the Holy Ghost which bore record of the Father and the redeeming mission of the Son (v 9).

Sometimes I wonder if our overwhelming focus on Christ and His saving power diverts us from the Father’s supreme role within the Plan of Salvation. The Plan of Salvation is the Father’s plan and the Saviour’s role is to execute it through the power of His redemption.

I learnt recently through a personal experience why the hierarchy of the Godhead needs to be followed, especially in regards to prayer. We are to pray to the Father only, in the name of His Son and this is why:

-          The Saviour does nothing but the will of the Father  (D&C 19:24; Moses 4;2; John 8:29; 10:17,18);

-          The Saviour seeks to glorify the Father through whatever we ask in His name  (John 14:13).

-          When we pray to the Father through the name of the Son, we acknowledge He is the author of the Plan of Salvation and that He is first in authority of the Godhead.  We acknowledge the Father’s supreme sacrifice of His Son. If it wasn’t for the Father, there would have been no submission by the Son. 

There is one unique instance where the disciples offered prayers to the Son instead of the Father and that was during the Saviour’s visit to the Americas. Elder Bruce R. McConkie suggested that this was on a one-time basis, and that they prayed to Him because He was as the symbol of the Father before them. (“The Promised Messiah: The First Coming of Christ” [1978] 560-561. The Saviour himself explained that the people were praying to Him because, as He said, “I am with them” (3 Nephi 19:22); and secondly, they were given by the Holy Ghost the words they should pray (3 Nephi 19:24).

This life-line we call prayer should be our second nature and this is why: “One of the truths taught in Revelation 4 is that exalted beings will continue to worship Heavenly Father in the eternities to come. He will always be our God. (New Testament Student Manual, commentary for Revelation 4:8-11).

The respect, the honour, the worship we should feel towards our Father in Heaven can only be learnt through the example of His Beloved Son: The Lord’s Prayer, His sacrament prayers, His intercessory prayer, His prayers with the Nephites. We should be familiar with all the conversations He had with the Father during His ministry and pray in likewise manner to bring honour and glory to the Father’s name always…..and maybe a little less of “I thank Thee and ask Thee” and a little more of “I praise Thee”…..

 

I knelt before Thy throne today

In praise of words You had to say.

They fell with ease from Your tongue

Coated gently with holy love.

My heart was opened

The heavens wept

Our union, a divine sacrament.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Lord's Prayer by Liz Lemon Swindle)