MY KING REMEMBERS MY NAME

I don’t know how the sun remembers to rise,

Or how the stars remember their places.

I don’t know how the flowers remember to bloom,

Or how in spring the leaves fill their spaces.

It’s enough for me to know who created it,

And I’ll never be the same;

Because I know I have a God who loves me

And a King, who remembers my name.

 

My King, who remembers my name;

A mighty King, who remembers my name!

He is the Lord of all creation,

And yet, my King remembers my name.

I’m a small creature compared to His greatness;

I’m only one and the same,

But I’ll always be His, and He will be mine –

A King, who remembers my name!

 

I look at the world today with people

Rushing about without thinking of why;

Why we’re all here, and what is life about

And where we all go when we die.

But I know, and I’ll ever be thankful

That I know from whence I came.

I’ll go home to heaven once more,

To my King, who remembers my name.

- BONNIE LAKE BLOOMFIELD (7/5/20)

(Art: I Have Suffered for You by B. Laura Wilson)

 

TO REMEMBER

I wrote yesterday about God’s admonition to ancient Israel to remember their deliverance from ‘the house of bondage’. This practice was so ingrained in them that they took it to the new promised land in ancient America. Some notable references to this important part of their history in the Book of Mormon are: 1 Nephi 4:2,3; 17:23-42; Mosiah 7:19; Alma 36:28-29.  

Remembering became a legacy amongst God’s people. King Benjamin spoke of ‘remembering’ 15 times in his farewell speech to motivate his people to obedience to God (Mosiah 1:3,4,6,7,17; 2:40 twice, 41 twice; 4:11,28,30; 5:11,12; 6:3).

As I was reading Alma’s instructions to Helaman one day, I expected to come across this familiar scripture:   “O remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation….…” I was convinced it was the advice that Alma gave to his sons. However, this scripture was nowhere to be found in the book of Alma.

I eventually found it in Helaman 5:12, and to my surprise I discovered this advice was given by Helaman to his sons Nephi and Lehi and not Alma to his sons. I then realized why I got that wrong. When Alma spoke to Helaman he also, at one time, began with, “O remember, remember…..” (Alma 37:13). Like father, like son…… The legacy of remembrance passed on from Alma to Helaman was so strong that Helaman named his sons Nephi and Lehi for this very purpose (Helaman 5:6).

Alma used the verb ‘remember’ 6 times in speaking to his sons (Alma 37:13,14,32,35; 42:11). Helaman used it 11 times in speaking to his sons in Helaman 5. Why did Alma put such importance on remembering? This is why:  As he lay unconscious he ‘remembered’ his father’s prophecy concerning the coming of Jesus Christ and when he pleaded with Christ to have mercy on him, he could not ‘remember’ his pains anymore (Alma 36:17, 19). Remembrance played a crucial part in his conversion. I guess you could say he too was delivered from ‘the house of bondage’…..

When we pass on from this life, we hope we will be remembered for ‘something’. None of us want to be forgotten. Nephi is remembered for his obedience, Alma for his repentance, Helaman for his strategic warfare, Captain Moroni for his passionate patriotism, Mormon for his discipleship, Moroni for his endurance, but one thing they all had in common was a firm foundation in Christ.

Our testimony of Him and what we accomplish because of it is the greatest legacy we can leave to our posterity and to the world…..because the memories we leave behind of ourselves help others to ‘remember’ and that remembrance will lead them to courage, good works, endurance and ultimately to eternal life. This is the power of the Book of Mormon and all holy writ…..it makes us remember Christ.  

The testimony we bear, as His disciples, can ensure the world remembers Him…and now more than ever, to prepare to meet Him. Because He remembers us, and He will never forget…” Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me….” (Isaiah 49:15-16)

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Walk by Faith by Chris Brazelton)

TRUST

 

I viewed my life as hopeless pieces

And shame consumed my fragile heart.

I questioned every move and every choice;

I berated, I gave no value to any part.

Not until my trust consumed me

And my will to heavens flew

Did solace nestle in my soul

And such freedom as I never knew.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art by David Beraru)

OUR PROMISED LAND

 

 We are about to study the book of Joshua this week. Joshua is one of those Old Testament figures we don’t talk about much yet there is so much to admire about the man. I feel he is overlooked to our detriment because he too, like Moses, was a prototype of Christ:

“Joshua, the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, was first called Oshea or Hoshea,….[Numbers 13:16], which signifies saved, a saviour, or salvation; but afterwards Moses, guided no doubt by a prophetic spirit, changed his name into….Yehoshua or Joshua, which signifies he shall save or salvation of Jehovah; referring, no doubt, to his being God’s instrument in saving the people from the hands of their enemies, and leading them from victory to victory over the different Canaanitish nations, till he put them in possession of the promised land…in the New Testament he is expressly called….Jesus [see Acts 7:45; Hebrews 4:8].” (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 2:3). In other words, in the original Hebrew both Joshua and Jesus were the same name.” (see Old Testament Student Manual Book 1 p 236)

As a preface to the Ten Commandments which Jehovah gave to Moses he made it clear why they were given: “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of BONDAGE.” (Exodus 20:2). The operative word here is ‘bondage’. It has reference to the Ten Commandments which are meant to give Israel freedom. If Israel cleaved to obedience of the Law, they would never again be in bondage, physical or most importantly, spiritual. 

Thereafter, Moses made it a point to define the deliverance from Egypt as deliverance from ‘bondage’ (Det 6:12; 8:14; 13:5). After Jehovah confirmed to Joshua that he is to take charge of the Tribes and lead them to the promised land, He charged him to make the law the basis of all he did. He was not to vary from it or depart from it, all that he spoke was to conform to it, and he was to meditate upon it constantly (Joshua 1:5-8). Joshua followed these rules to the letter and like Moses, reminded Israel that they had been delivered from ‘the house of bondage’ in the land of Egypt (Joshua 24:17). He understood clearly what the God of Israel had done which made him a spiritual leader of God’s people as well as the physical one.

At the onset of conquest of the promised land, the mighty Jehovah spoke to Joshua and told him he is to conquer all the land from Lebanon to the river Euphrates (Joshua 1:4). In actuality, this meant the region south and southwest of the Lebanon mountains, north and east of Egypt, east of the Mediterranean coastal plain and west of the Arabian desert (OT Student Manual 1, p 236). In other words, the land that lay before Joshua was massive. Overwhelming, isn’t it? But Jehovah issued an admonition to Joshua to ‘be strong and of good courage’ three times (Joshua 1:6,7,9) assuring him: ‘I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee….be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest’ (vs 5,9).

And then the promise: Joshua was told that he must adhere strictly to the law of Moses and he shall have success (v 8) but not just any success, he was promised that his success would be so great that there shall not any man be able to stand before him all the days of his life (v 5). This Joshua did, obeying all of the Lord’s instructions with exactness (fascinating examples of this to look out for in his story). The result of his meticulous obedience?  A success unsurpassed:  the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country’ (Joshua 6:27).

We, of the House of Israel, are standing on the earth which is our ultimate promised land. This earth will one day be redeemed and sanctified from all unrighteousness that it may be prepared for the celestial glory, that the bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever (D&C 88:17-20). This is our promised land. This is our ultimate forever home. 

Before each of us is the vastness of our mortal probation fraught with challenges and trials to conquer and overcome. It is also the ‘house of bondage’ from which the Saviour has delivered us through His atoning sacrifice if we will but obey the commandments, the path to unsurpassed freedom.....

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

RETURN TO HEAVEN

 

Will I be lost in crowds of heaven

When my mortal shell at last I leave,

And will this earthly life appear unreal

When my true home is to me revealed?

 

Will I come to see Thy face

I so often sought on bended knee,

And forget all the lonely moments

I suffered with merciful help from Thee?

 

My heart will rend within my chest

When I kneel before Thy throne;

I will weep with grateful heart

For cherished truths that I have known.

 

-       CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Christ by David Beraru)

MAGNIFICENT HUMANITY

 

Sometimes when I consider the atrocities in the world today and some of the things we say and do, from our leaders down to the common man, I am convinced we are operating here on the level of intelligence called stupidity. I don’t know how God tolerates us in this weakened state of mortality.

At other times I hear a piece of music that lifts me to the gates of heaven or I see a piece of art that rends my soul with gratitude for beauty or read a poem that bares someone’s soul and I see the other side of humanity. I am often amazed by the talents, strengths, attributes and achievements of many of us. I am especially enthralled by people enshrined in holy writ…..their capabilities, their sufferings, their level of endurance, their skills at handling life, and especially their faith, devotion to and love of God.

I marvel at our uniqueness, our creativity, our intelligence, our very essence and all that we are and are yet to become. I imagine if there were no mortal days of probation I might never have heard of a man called Abraham Lincoln in the vastness of the Universe or been moved by music written by Mozart or heard Renee Fleming sing Casta Diva. What an amazing gift it is to be a witness of someone's unique expression of self and of the mark they leave on this world. Most of us will not earn a page in the annals of history. Most of us will never become another Abraham Lincoln or Mozart or Helaman or Isaiah but all of us have a unique light within with which we can illuminate the world.

Alma spoke of having the image of God in our countenance (Alma 5:14). Imagine our unique talents, gifts, capacities and personalities, our very souls, enhanced by an image of an exalted God. Imagine the beauty that would exude from us if we truly loved God and possessed the Saviour’s attributes. Moroni thought it was possible. He admonished us to pray for the pure love of Christ so that when He appears we shall be like Him and thereby know Him (Moroni 7:48). Imagine the hearts we could reach if they saw the Saviour in us. Imagine how many souls we could influence and bring home with us if we bore the image of Christ in our countenance.

God sees us in our entirety. He sees who we were, our present limitations and what we will yet become. He sees us as an amazing assortment of humanity and most of all He sees our potential. This is how He can tolerate us here and now.

In the realms of heaven when your glorious destiny hung in the balance, the Saviour saw you and your worth and your potential. Besides His overriding desire to bring glory to the Father, this is what propelled Him to the cross.

In the words of Dr. Seuss: "Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You". How truly magnificent are you?!!!

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: A Peaceful Heart by Michael Malm)

LIVING WATER

 

You paved the way to glories untold

With drops of blood and hallowed tears,

Gifting me life beyond these mortal years.

The bread of life, the living water,

Flowing into my heart from yours;

With parched lips I approach

So I will thirst never more.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Water That I Shall Give by Eva Koleva Timothy)