When Joshua
stood with the strength of a prophet before the children of Israel and delivered
his farewell, he recounted not his power but the Lord’s in deliverance of His
people from bondage and His gifting of ‘the land for which the Israelites did
not labour and the cities which they did not build’ (Joshua 24:1-14).
The
children of Israel became fearless in the strength of God under Joshua’s
leadership. Nations trembled at the mention of their name as they flooded
Canaan and claimed the land. None could stop their conquering spirit. They
earned the name Jeshurun (righteous Israel) because they chose to serve
God under Joshua’s leadership to do so (see The Old Testament Student Manual
Book 1 p 242). The people are only as good as the example they follow….Joshua
was that leader and that example.
As they
entered the promised land, the children of Israel were given three warnings, in
the event that some heathen nations were allowed to remain and live alongside
them: 1. Beware of social intercourse with them (Joshua 23:7; 2. Refrain from
worshipping their false gods (vv 7-11); and 3. Avoid intermarriage with hem (v
12). If these rules were ignored, Israel would fall into the snare of idolatry
and their covenant with Jehovah, along with His protection and prosperity would
be null and void.
As a result
of Joshua’s devotion to Jehovah, we have one of the most instructive and famous
scriptures of all time: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve… as for me and
my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
“The Saints
today also face a world intent on their spiritual destruction. Canaan has long
passed from the earth, but Satan, who incited Canaan’s wickedness and
opposition to Israel, is still determined to destroy those who follow the Lamb
of God (see 1 Nephi 14:12-14)…..
“Now during
this critical period, and it is a critical period that we are passing through,
I hope that we will keep ever burning in our hearts the spirit of this great
work which we represent. If we do so, we’ll have no anxiety; we’ll have no
fear; we’ll not worry about the future because the Lord has given us the
assurance that if we live righteously, if we keep his commandments, if we
humble ourselves before him, all will be well.” (Elder Ezra Taft Benson, In
Conference Report, Oct 1950, pp 145-46)
We still
have Joshuas at the head of our Israel today to inspire us to serve the one and
true living God. Today, we have President Oaks. Even though times become
perilous and even though there will be times of insecurity to propel us into
anxiety, the prophets at the head of Israel today, like Joshua will lead us to “be
strong and of good courage; to not be afraid, neither dismayed: for the Lord
thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9)
We, the children of Israel,
Ever follow the Shepherd
Who would not see us lost,
Who rescued our souls
Never counting the cost.
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art: The Good Shepherd by Del Parson)
I carried my problems in a basket
To every friend I knew;
They rummaged and picked the ones
They thought they could stop me
From feeling so blue.
I carried my basket to the Saviour,
He recognised each problem so well;
He gave me the wisdom to solve them,
My suffering myself to quell.
He knew every fallen tear,
Every minute of fear and dread,
He knew the lonely road I travelled
And gave me solace instead.
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art: I Know You by B. Laura Wilson)
Some years
ago, another divorced, single mother moved into my Ward which made us the only
two women of that marital status in that ward. We struck up a friendship and I
was grateful that there would be someone around who would understand me and my
life. This proved more difficult than I thought.
The sister
in question was vastly different from me. She was a career woman managing her
own business and I was a lowly office worker, with no professional aspirations,
struggling to make ends meet. She was a very strong, independent individual who
handled her four children with ease and trained them well for a life of
independence. I was a self-sacrificing mother who turned herself into a taxi
driver for my young teenagers and who did everything in my power to spare them
any discomfort and difficulty.
With time
it became apparent to me that my new friend and I were reading the same book
but we were not on the same page. In other words, we were two different
individuals in the same situation but with different responses to that
situation. We were different people and the same difficulties were affecting us
differently. This taught me that it is futile to seek understanding from other
people because of our differences.
I also came
to understand another truth. Be careful of turning a close friend into your
mentor. I had a handful of close friends that I used to seek advice from which
I narrowed down to one confidant who I considered understood my spiritual
journey more than anyone else but even though we had a very strong spiritual
connection, our lives were vastly different. She was married and I was single,
she was well and I was sick. I noticed with time that her advice was often, if
not always, from her frame of reference and her experiences in life. I used to
value whatever she said until I noticed that some of the advice she was giving
me was not applicable to me.
When I
became sick two years ago, I retreated into myself a lot and became very
alienated from people I knew because I felt nobody understood what I was going
through. Pain has a way of teaching you that. I had never been in a more
isolating situation before in my life. All of a sudden I was incredibly alone
with something I was dealing with that was very difficult. I knew it was futile
to expect others to understand because nobody else had ever experienced what it
is like to live in my skin……except only one..
I came to
understand the Saviour’s lonely road He trod when He was here. This scripture
seared my heart: “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness:
and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but
I found none.” (Psalm 69:20). I understood a fraction of what He felt during
the crucible of His life when He was forsaken by all. If Christ’s Atonement was
a descent into the ‘bottomless pit’ of human agony, then I know that He alone
understands my life and my sufferings…..because in that bottomless pit was my
agony too.
I
met You on the lonely road
And
heard You say to me:
You
will ever be mine
If
you walk with me.
Your
presence enthralled me,
Your
exquisite love nearly ripped me apart;
I
walked away from all else
Just
to have You in my heart.
I
walk now with Your hand in mine,
The
lonely road paved with tears of love
Oh,
if only everyone knew where to find You
And
long for You to come!
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Artist Unknown)
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)
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)
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)
