SERVANTS OF CHRIST

 

 

We live in a world where people are divided and their hearts are failing them (D&C 45:26; 88:91). I have seen members of the same family and friends turning against each other with the  recent pandemic fear that has gripped so many of us. We are making the Saviour’s prediction in quoted scriptures come to pass. We, who are true followers of Christ are expected to do better and we CAN do better. By virtue of our discipleship, we have access to the pure love of Christ which we can spread throughout the world in the spirit of brotherhood which is so desperately needed today.  In this respect we can become His ambassadors. We can become servants of Christ. True service of fellowmen means emulating Christ and His treatment of others. It’s allowing a measure of Christ’s regard and love for others to reach them through you.

 

President Boyd K. Packer took this theory to another level when he said “we ourselves can participate in an atonement. When we are willing to restore to others that which we have not taken, or heal wounds that we did not inflict, or pay a debt that we did not incur, we are emulating His part in the Atonement.” (“The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness”, Ensign Nov 1995). Imagine going to such lengths to make someone’s life easier and imagine what change of spirit that would create within you. 

 

Consider Job.  God called him ‘perfect’ because of his impeccable obedience  (Job 1:8) but His emulation of the Saviour came like this: He strengthened weak hands (4:3); He supported those who were falling (4:4); He strengthened the feeble knees (4:4); He delivered the poor (29:12); He cared for the orphans (29:12); He helped those whom no one else would help (29:12); He gave the widow cause to sing with joy (29:13); He was eyes to the blind (29:15); He was feet to the lame (29:15); He was father to the poor (29:16); He searched for people in need of his assistance (29:16); He never found joy in the suffering of his enemies (31:29); He never wished evil on his enemies (31:30); He opened his home to strangers (31:32). It is no wonder that Job’s trials were so great,  they had to match the stature of the man.

 

Job’s is an impressive example to look up to but the Saviour can make us equal to the task if we harbour that desire in our hearts. 

 

Your footsteps so big and so deep

Swallow my feeble feet;

I try to keep up

To tend Your vulnerable sheep;

To gather the lost,

To clothe, to feed;

So many for my poorly 

Devised shelter to keep.

Illuminate my steps dear Saviour

With Your glorious light;

And grant me Thy power

To feed them from Your godly heart.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: The Good Samaritan by Liz Lemon Swindle)

WAYWARD CHILDREN

 

This is what I learnt from Nephi today. As I opened the Book of Mormon to start yet another journey through its pages, I noticed a word I had always read but not taken much notice of before. This is the word: “I Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore, I was taught SOMEWHAT in all the learning of my father……” (1 Nephi 1:1). It is easy on first glance of this quoted scripture, to surmise that Nephi was such a good man because of his parents, but it is clear by this word that he did not give them all the credit. The dictionary defines ‘somewhat’ as: to some extent or in some measure or degree. What Nephi is clearly saying here is that ‘the great knowledge of the goodness and mysteries of God’ (v1) was more a product of his own effort than of his parents. That is evident through personal tutoring he received from an angel whilst seeking to know the meaning of his father’s vision of the tree of life (1 Nephi 11). In fact, it can be seen throughout Nephi’s life as he demonstrated how willingly he took responsibility for his own salvation.

 

It is human nature that we as parents beat ourselves up when we have wayward children feeling that we have somehow failed. I have been there myself. What we can learn from Lehi’s family is that our children’s salvation depends more so on them than on us.  Try as they may, Lehi and Sariah did not succeed in keeping all of their children on the straight and narrow. I will not elaborate on parents’ responsibility in parenting here. My intent is to make parents of wayward children know that there is hope through the mercies of the God that we love and worship; a God who honours righteous parents and holds their fragile hearts in the palm of His hands;  a God who sorrows over our wayward children as much as we do; a God who has suffered for their disobedience and destructive choices; a God who desires to save each and every one of us; a God who will not forsake those whom we love and yearn to have back in the fold; a God of mercy; a God of forgiveness; a God of love. This is the assurance: “Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold” (Joseph Smith, “Hope for Parents of Wayward Children”, churchofjesuschrist.org).

 

Fear not, they are in His hands…..

 

 

One day when Your tears cease to fall

For the ones that go astray

And You reach for them from Your throne

Your power to display;

I will praise 

I will rejoice

I will join the heavenly throng in song

For the return of the lost

For whom You suffered for so long. 

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)

RESPONSIBILITY OF ISRAEL

 

 

Some of us are inclined to think that the events of the past contained in the scriptures are not really relevant to us today. Every time I study the Old Testament I see the lessons that still apply because as they say, history repeats itself……. because we rarely learn from those gone before us. Ancient Israel was warned if they joined in with the wicked, they would be destroyed with the wicked (Deuteronomy 7:2-4). We stand to suffer the same punishment if we join with the world today. We all know what awaits the wicked when the hour of His appearing is upon us.

 

There is something very significant we can take from ancient Israel’s occupation of the promised land of Canaan. In his narration of the 40 year wanderings before entering the promised land, the great Moses prepared the Israelites with a very sober explanation of who they were and what their role was. He was very clear that the Lord had not chosen them to possess Canaan because of their righteousness (because they were a stiffnecked people (Deuteronomy 9:6), but because they were chosen to be a ‘special people above all people that are upon the face of the earth’ (Deuteronomy 7:6). And this is the reason why: because they were the descendants of Abraham with whom Jehovah made an everlasting covenant, it was their responsibility to cleanse Canaan of an idolatrous people, to abolish idolatry, and re-instate the worship of Jehovah. The responsibility was not wholly spiritual though; part of the Abrahamic covenant was the land of Canaan which was promised to Abraham’s posterity forever, so Canaan was rightfully theirs.

 

How is this relevant to us today? The Abrahamic covenant bridges time because it is an everlasting covenant. The covenant being this in a nutshell: for the privilege of blessings of the priesthood, we would take the gospel to all the nations of the earth and spread righteousness among those we live and interact with. Our method of installing the worship of Jehovah might be different but the responsibility to be an ensign to the nations is the same. And here is our motivation, so eloquently spoken by Moses: “…..this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statues, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them…And what nation is there so great that hath statues and judgments so righteous as all this law…..???”  (Deuteronomy 4:5-9)  What nation indeed? 

 

What other nation has the fulness of the Gospel? What other nation has the priesthood ordinances of salvation and exaltation? What other nation knows our beloved Saviour like we know Him through modern revelation? What other nation is ‘the apple of His eye’ (Deuteronomy 32:9,10; Zechariah 2:8; Psalm 17:8)? What other nation are the jewels in His crown (Exodus 28:17-21; Malachi 3:17; D&C 60:4; 101:3)? I hear the echo from Isaiah still: “O Israel, fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine [forever]” (Isaiah 43:1-3).

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Almost Time by Danny Hahlbohm)

ADAM THE PRINCE

 

I came across a scripture this morning that made me weep: “And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him: I have set thee to be at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over them forever.” (D&C 107:55). This event happened three years prior to Adam’s death when he called his righteous posterity into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman to bestow upon them his last blessing. After the Lord administered to him, Adam stood up even though he was ‘bowed down with age, and being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation’ (v 56). As I wept at these glorious words,  I had a glimpse into my pre-existence and understood how passionately and emotionally I was invested in the Plan of Salvation. I imagine I watched Adam as he was being ordained in heavenly realms to be the head of the human family. If I did, I am certain I wept then too. 

 

My reflection on this heavenly ordination made me remember ‘the noble and great ones’ of our dispensation……US! We know from Doctrine and Covenants 138 that President Joseph F. Smith was allowed to see ‘choice spirits who were reserved to come forth in the fulness of times to take part in laying the foundations of the great latter-day work (v53). He saw ‘the noble and great ones who were chosen in the beginning to be rulers in the Church of God’ (v55). Elder Bruce R. McConkie stated that ‘a host of mighty men and equally glorious women comprised that group of the ‘noble and great ones’ (‘The Man Adam’ by Robert L. Millet).

 

As much as I saw the greatness of Adam in my spiritual experience, I saw the Saviour first and foremost in His simple declaration “I have set thee to be at the head”……I did this. Whereas Adam is the head of the human family, the Saviour is the head of the Plan of Salvation. Whereas Adam is the prince over us ‘forever’, the Saviour is the King. May we never forget we owe all to Him who has created us and atoned for us. Glory be His forever and ever! 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Uknown)

 

 

 

 

A LINK IN THE CHAIN

 

 

When my mother-in-law lay in the hospital bed dying, she repeatedly told her children and grandchildren to stay on ‘the gospel train’. Just prior to her death one conference talk was centered on this life being like a train journey and we think she connected this in her mind to the gospel. She died a dignified death with her testimony on her lips.  

 

In his farewell address, Moses admonished the children of Israel, repeatedly, to worship the one true and living God and that they should have no other gods before Him. This farewell constitutes the entire book of Deuteronomy with strong emphasis on dangers of idol worship. Moses' farewell coincided with the children of Israel's entry into the promised land. Because the inhabitants of Canaan were ripe in iniquity and idol worship (1 Nephi 17:32-35) they presented a very real threat to the covenant people. As they conquered cities before them, lands were appropriated to them for their settlement. Among the first to receive land were the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Mannesah. They settled in the land of Gilead which divided them from the rest of Israel by the river Jordan (Numbers 34:14,15; Deuteronomy 3:12,13; Joshua 22:9). After they had assisted in further conquest of the land, Joshua sent them back to Gilead to live peacefully in their newly appointed inheritance. Upon their return home, these tribes built an altar by river Jordan. When the rest of Israel heard of it they were outraged presuming the altar was built for idol worship. They sent Phineas, the son of Eleazor the priest, with the heads of the remaining tribes, to call these two and a half tribes to repentance. In their defense, these tribes explained that the altar was not made for any worship but was meant to stand as a witness to the rest of Israel, for generations to come, that the tribe of Reuben, Gad and Mannesah were united with the rest of Israel in the worship of one true and living God; that they would not be the downfall of Israel. They said the altar was to be "a witness between us that the Lord is God" (Joshua 22:34).  These three tribes recognised that even though they were geographically divided from the rest, they were still a link in the chain. They knew that if they turned to the worship of other gods, the ripple effect would be detrimental to the whole House of Israel.

So it is with us. We of modern Israel are individual links in a great chain which binds the covenant people. How we live our lives and how we worship God has great impact upon not only us personally but upon the body of Christ as a whole because "no one sins in isolation. We cannot say that our actions influence only ourselves for even if we do something sinful that is completely personal, our individual loss of spiritual power means a lessening of power for all mankind and contributes to the withdrawal of the Lord's spirit, and that is damaging to all......". (Old Testament Student Manual Genesis-2 Samuel, p 243). 

 

Today the chain, being the Church of Jesus Christ, spreads across the globe. It unites me, who am an Australian, with you who are an American, European or African. It unites us through our faith in Him who is the Saviour of all, regardless of nationality, colour or culture. Our faith in Christ and our commitment to that faith is our commonality. It creates a spiritual umbilical cord that makes us one and strengthens us even though we are miles apart. I depend on you and you depend on me to keep the chain unbroken because one day this chain will bring us together to live with Him forever. 

In Moses' words:

 

"Hear, O Israel: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might...and these words....shall be in thine heart....forever."  Deut 6:4-6

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Light of the World by Nathan Greene)

THE LAW OF CONSEQUENCE

 

Perhaps the greatest lesson we can learn from ancient Israel is the law of consequence. I see this in the 40 years of their wanderings. After arriving at Mt Sinai in the third month following their departure from Egypt (Exodus 19:1-2), they remained there for almost a year where they received the Ten Commandments, made a covenant with Jehovah and built the tabernacle. It took just eleven days following their departure from Mt Sinai to arrive to Kadesh-barnea where they were on the verge of the promised land (Deuteronomy 1:2). It was within their grasp but their failure to have faith in obtaining the land (Numbers 13:26-33) resulted in one serious consequence…..so near, yet so far. After Moses pleaded with Jehovah to spare the congregation from destruction due to their murmuring against Him, the Lord showed mercy and decreed that all men 20 years of age and older, men of war who wouldn’t take possession of the land due to lack of faith, will never enter the promised land but He would allow the next generation to possess it (Numbers 14:26-35). It makes for heart wrenching reading. It cost ancient Israel 38 years of wandering to suffer the consequence of disobedience. They did not arrive at the promised land again until all the men 20 years and over who had come out of Egypt had died in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 2:14). One might ask, surely in 38 years the Israelites would have become repentant enough for Jehovah to show mercy…..but consequences of sin always have to be suffered, and not just for punishment but for our subsequent growth. Setting the consequence aside, the mercy had already been given when the Israelites’ destruction had been averted and another promise made. 

 

The greatest lesson that can be gleaned from all this is this:  the Saviour will never go back on His word. When Moses, after 38 years of wanderings, stood on the east of river Jordan and viewed the promised land of Canaan from Pisgah with longing,  he beseeched the Lord to allow him to enter the promised land despite being told he will never get there because of the incident of ‘the rock of Meribah’ (Numbers 20:2-13). The Lord refused and told him to ‘speak no more to Him of this matter’ (Deuteronomy 3:23-26). Once again, consequences have to be suffered, but more importantly, the Lord cannot go back on His word.

 

The God of Israel is a God of integrity who does not bend with the wind, is not wishy washy and is not changeable. If He was, we would not know where we stood from one moment to the next. We can therefore be assured that He will never go back on what He has decreed and He will never break His covenant with us, the House of Israel (Leviticus 26:44,45), the covenant which I am certain had roots in pre-existence and not just with Abraham in this life. This is a God we can trust and depend on for the salvation of our souls. This is a God who will never forsake us, a God of commitment who endured the cross to the end and given us this assurance:  “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 [O House of Israel]; 

 

Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands….”  (Isaiah 49:15,16). 

Art by Randy Friemel

 

 

 

 

AN UNDERSTANDING GOD

 

I often joke that we are operating here in this telestial life on an intelligence level called ‘stupidity’. I am often amazed at the blunders and messes we make even amongst the most intelligent of us, hence the world’s terrible shape. When I study the scriptures, I am marvel at the simplicity with which the Lord speaks to us, how He relates to us on our level of understanding. I would imagine His method of communication would be far superior to our own yet He, a god,  speaks to us as if He is one of us. I stand in awe of His understanding of our capacities and His ensuing compassion. No doubt this is evident in our personal revelation as well. I have had answers to prayer that have been rather unusual yet very suitable to the way my brain works and the way I process information. I am certain nobody else would understand them. This to me is an assurance of how well the Saviour knows us personally; what we are capable and ready to receive; our capacity to act and our limitations as we live by faith. 

 

The Godhead under whose supervision we exist is our greatest saving grace:  

- The Father because He has created us and nurtured us in the beginning and knows the nature of our spirits to the utmost, He knows the outcome of our lives because He knows our inclinations and the level of our obedience the most. I am convinced He knows me better than I know myself;

- The Saviour who has experiential knowledge of my life and my soul which enables His mercy to be extended to me and therefore knows how to aid me and most importantly, to mediate and intercede with the Father on my behalf; 

- The Holy Ghost who touches my heart and whispers to my soul. I feel bonded to him in immense gratitude for His administration to my spirit. His presence in my life often reduces me to tears. 

 The path of faith is rich, exquisite and priceless….far above any treasures of this earth. There are so many of us yet in Godhead’s eyes, we are only one. We matter. We are of immense worth because we are of royal birth; kings, queens, priests and priestesses of royal courts above, we are far more than this world can ever see in us: the glorious, the eternal, the supernal.

You see me Father, despite heaven’s vast expanse,

You hear the burning beat of my heart

Amidst the numberless host of heaven.

You cherish me 

More than the stars that encircle thy throne;

Thy greatness is endless,

Thy power sublime.

In my appointed hour,

Carry me home

In the strength of Thy loving arms.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Godhood by Danny Hahlbohm)

THE WORD OF GOD

 

 

I recently had a discussion with someone close to me who is a very strong member of the Church and who has struggled with a debilitating issue his whole life. After years of unsuccessful counselling from various bishops and professionals he has become despondent and desperate. Having had a successful healing myself, I testified   that the ultimate help comes from the Saviour and faith in His Atonement. He replied that faith is ‘airy fairy’ and that he doesn’t really believe in it, that it’s just too hard. I was astounded and saddened. This man has been a strong member of the Church his whole life and faith in Jesus Christ, being the first principle of the Gospel (Articles of Faith 1:4), is the foundation of our religion. Upon further thought I realised that it is easy for some to have faith in the Church that they can see but not in Christ whom they cannot see. The Church is a religion institution that is meant to bring us to Christ but it would seem that some of us never arrive at His feet. Some of us fail to truly believe that Christ can do what He says He can do because we don't put Him to the test.

 

In his conference talk entitled “We Heeded Them Not”,  Elder David Bednar spoke of Lehi’s dream and the iron rod by which people reached the tree of life (1 Nephi 8). He pointed out that Nephi’s definition of the iron rod is the word of God (1 Nephi 15:24). Generally, we consider this to be the Saviour’s teachings and His gospel. Elder Bednar took this to another level when He pointed out that one of the names of Jesus Christ is “The Word” (Revelation 19:13). We are all familiar with ‘the Word of God’ by which all things were created (John 1:1,14; Moses 1:32).  John also called the Saviour ‘The Word of Life’ (1 John 1:1). This scripture, however, is the one which speaks to my heart: “In the beginning the Word was, for He was the Word, even the messenger of salvation - The light and the Redeemer of the world because the world was made by Him and in Him was the life of men and the light of men; the worlds were made by him; all things were made by him, and through him and of him” (D&C 93:8-11). 

 

If in Him is the life of men and the light of men, then all power and all might is in Him to enable, deliver, heal, redeem and save all those He has created. If in Him is the power to create men and worlds without end, then ‘The Word’ is The Supreme, The Ultimate, the Alpha and Omega, the ALL, and there is nothing else. Nephi told his brothers if they would ‘hold fast’ to The Word; not cling to, look at, or just believe in, that they would never perish (1 Nephi 15:24).  Many of us are slowly perishing from the effects of this corruptible world, through sin or mental and physical trials and yet there is a power that can fix it all, the power of The Word. 

 

I look to Thee to lift me up

When into the depths of sorrow

I sink and comfort cannot find;

I look to Thee to lift me up 

When nothing makes sense

In my troubled finite mind.

I look to Thee to lift me up

When forsaken I happen to be;

I look to Thee to lift me up

When trials seek to swallow me.

I will look to Thee to lift me up

When farewell I have to say,

Lift me up with tender mercies 

In thine arms to gently lay.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Rescue Me by Yongsung Kim)