ZION'S WARNING

 

 

I love Nephi, the visionary. I am amazed by his accurate account of our day in 2 Nephi chapter 28. After he describes, so expertly, the state of the world, he warns of Satan’s technique of leading people into ‘carnal security’ by pacifying, lulling and flattering them (vs 21,22). This warning, however, is not to the world but to the Church. The carnal security he talks of will make many adopt the attitude of ‘all is well in Zion’ (v 21). It will make some of us think that we are good enough as it is; that we have ample time to improve and repent before the end is here. This unpreparedness reminds me of the parable of The Ten Virgins.

The story of this parable is based on oriental marriage customs of Jesus’ time. Since the wedding ceremonies were appointed for the evening and night, it was imperative that people were equipped with torches and lamps to see their way in the procession which the bridegroom led to the bride’s house and later to conduct her to her new home where the marriage celebration awaited them. The ten maidens in the story were eager to be included in this celebration but only five of them were smart enough to equip themselves with enough oil for their lamps. In summary, when the time came to join the procession, their lamps had failed and not being able to borrow oil from the prepared maidens, they were too late to be admitted into the wedding celebration. (See James E. Talmage, Jesus The Christ, p 577)

As a symbol of our covenant relationship with Christ, Jesus used the metaphor of marriage between Himself and His Church. The betrothal between Him and the House of Israel took place in the Sinai wilderness after the Exodus (Exodus 19:5-6; 24:7). The marriage proper is yet to take place when He returns. Therefore, when He comes, He will come as a bridegroom to wed not just the Church, but the righteous members of His Church only, the ones who are prepared, with oil in their lamps. And what is this oil? It represents the Holy Ghost….who makes us see the way.  The Lord confirmed that this parable will be fulfilled when He returns and that the members of His Church who have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide and have not been deceived will abide the day of His coming (D&C 45:56,57). It makes President Nelson’s recent directive true to life: “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” (Russell M. Nelson, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our lives, April 2018).

There is a word in Hebrew that refers to the faithfulness of loyal love that binds two people together in covenant. This love is motivated by an inner loyalty which arises out of the relationship itself and not by legal obligation. Such covenant love has the quality of constancy, firmness and steadfastness. This word is HESED (Bernhard W. Anderson, “Understanding the Old Testament”, p 248). This is the love the Saviour expects of us, His bride. If we truly love Him, we will have all the characteristics of ‘hesed’. We will shine forth in righteousness because we will have forsaken spiritual Babylon and will be prepared to meet Him for the wedding (D&C 133:5,7,10,14). Right now some of us have our feet in both camps. Some of us are half hearted in forsaking the world and are content with the scanty supply of oil we have in our lamps, but that contentment will meet with regret when the call for the wedding feast comes. The five virgins that missed out are symbolic of half the Church membership who will be unprepared.

When the time of His appearing is here, there will be no reservoir of good works, spiritually building moments, and a sinless slate we will be able to draw from and we will no longer be able to exist on the testimony of others. The ‘carnal security’ we had wallowed in and been comfortable in will come to an end and all will be lost.  Let’s not be deceived and think we are safe in Satan’s territory. When the Saviour comes, we will behold Him in His glory and we will want to be with Him. We will want to come to the wedding.

 

ODE TO THE TEN VIRGINS

I would gladly give you some oil

Your empty lamp to fill,

If you could glean the sweat

From my furrowed brow

As I worked on the oil press

So diligently until now.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Five Virgins by Dan Burr)

TO RETURN

 

I visited my favourite parable yesterday, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and I noticed something that took my breath away…..(Luke 15:11-32)

As you know, this was a story of an unsatisfied son who grew weary of his family’s duties and his father’s wholesome discipline and influence. He yearned for freedom from home ties and demanded his inheritance be given him to make his own way in life. He went into a far country where he spent that inheritance in riotous living and unrestrained indulgence. When the inheritance was spent, he was reduced to the lowest and most degrading form of service to a Jew, that of herding swine. He sank even lower to eat husks with the pigs. Imagine such degradation and suffering as eating and sleeping with pigs, especially with one of an honorable parentage who was raised with servants and ate the best of food and never had to worry about his sustenance. His suffering was extreme as he could see no favourable end to his situation. He could sink no lower. He reflected on the home of his youth and the security and safety he had there and how well provided even the servants were in his home. And then the hope! He would go home to his father!!! The father who loved him and was so reluctant to see him go. He would go home to the father who would surely forgive him and allow him to serve him. He would go home to the father who would lift him out of the misery he had fallen into. What exquisite hope his father was to him! How that hope would have lifted him out of the mire he was in and propelled him to return home!

We were somewhat like the prodigals when we left our heavenly home. We knew of the risk that some of us may never return. What hope our Father was to us by sacrificing His Beloved Son to ensure our return! We were sure the Plan would work and the Saviour would implement that Plan without hesitance and restraint. He would save us so that we could in our lowest earthly moments say, I’ll go home to the Father! I can rise above the mire of this telestial world and return to the splendor of my home. I can have better than what I have sunk to. I don’t have to wallow in the mire and eat husks…..I can have so much better. My Father will see my contrition and forgive me. My Father will welcome me home…..

I wish to gift you my heart

Eternal Father of mine;

I wish to glorify Thy name

Through endless moments of time.

I wish to worship you each day that I greet,

I wish to honour you with each breath that I breathe.

Then one day soon when I kneel at your throne

And bring you my deeds from my earthly home;

Accept them with mercy,

Consider them bliss,

And greet me joyfully

With an holy kiss.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: He Lifts Me Up by Danny Hahlbohm)

THE SHADOW OF HIS WINGS

 

Nephi’s testimony of the Saviour Jesus Christ is intoxicating, is it not? In describing, in magnificent detail, the Jewish fate of scattering and gathering in 2 Nephi chapter 25, Nephi’s prophecy of their rejection of Messiah and His consequent death is heart wrenching but the hope he also offers is unmistakable. In verse 13, Nephi says after the Jews shall crucify the Christ and ‘he is laid in a sepulchre for the space of three days he shall rise from the dead’ and here is the hope of all hope and the truth of all truth, on which salvation rests…..’with HEALING IN HIS WINGS’.

In scriptural use of symbolism, the wings are ‘a representation of power, to move, to act, etc.’ (D&C 77:4). So Christ rose from the dead, healed, with power……the power to also heal us, to succor us, to protect us, to enable us, to save us, to resurrect us, to sanctify us, to exalt us.

The Jewish race, God’s covenant people, will one day experience the healing power of their Shiloh (JST Gen 50:24) when He comes to save them from their foes. They will experience the power of His protective wings and be converted to the Holy One of Israel.

Daniel F. Gerhartz who painted this magnificent painting titled ‘In the Shadow of Your Wings’ said: “My desire as an artist is that the images I paint would point to the Creator, and not to me, the conveyor. Johann Sebastian Bach said it well as he signed his work, ‘Soli Deo Gloria’, ‘To God alone be the glory’”…….indeed.

I long to reside in Your presence;

To never know sadness

Or the wretched heat of my tears.

I know I will be safe there

Where fears cannot find me

And trials cannot scar me.

I know there will be safety

In the shadow of Your wings

My burdens You will lift

And wipe away my sins.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: In The Shadow of Your Wings by Daniel H. Gerhartz)

AN INDIVIDUAL GOD

 

There is a woman spoken of in the Old Testament that is not highly considered or regarded. Her name is Hagar and her life story rends my heart.  The Genesis account of the Old Testament simply states that she was Egyptian and that she was Sarah's maid but one other source gives more insight into her life. It claims that Hagar was one of the daughters of Pharaoh and that she was given to Sarah when she and Abraham left Egypt to continue their journey to Canaan (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, 1:223). Considering the riches that Pharaoh showered Abraham and Sarah with as they left Egypt (Genesis 12:16), this claim seems very plausible. In this context, Hagar's life of hardship begins at this point in history. 

Under Sarah's tutelage, Hagar grew into spiritual maturity as she forsook the religious idols of her home and came to know the God of Israel. Imagine, however, a young girl of royal birth, sent away from her home to be the property of total strangers, therefore a slave. But there was more. According to Bible scholars and modern-day revelation (D&C 132:34), it was the law for a woman who could not provide children for her husband after ten years of marriage, to give him another wife to ensure continuation of his family line. Sarah decided that Abraham's next wife would be Hagar. I doubt if Hagar had much choice in the matter, being in the situation she was in. I imagine Hagar was fairly young since she fell pregnant straight away, whereas Abraham was 86 years old (Genesis 16:16).

The Old Testament records that Hagar became insolent towards Sarah once she knew she was pregnant (Genesis 16:4). Inexcusable I know, but maybe for once she felt she was worth something more than being a maid. She was now a wife of a rich man and she was going to be a mother, but....she was only a second wife with no rights and her child would by law belong to Sarah. She was a concubine. Imagine being of such lowly station for one of royal birth.  When she couldn't take Sarah's correction of her behaviour, Hagar fled in search of freedom. How hurt and misunderstood she must have felt….

Sarah was the wife of the covenant and honoured by God for her righteousness but Jehovah is a protector of women and He knew Hagar and her life. When the angel of the Lord found her in the wilderness he told her, "the Lord hath heard thy affliction" (Genesis 16:11); that she will not be overlooked by Him and that her posterity will not be able to be numbered for multitude (Genesis 16:10). In other words, "I will make it up to you Hagar for the life you are required to live". Hagar was astonished and in response called the Lord, "Thou God seest me" (v 13). What an incredible difference that must have made to one woman who felt insignificant and 'unseen'. God who sees all, had regard for her and held her in the palm of His hand. This must have been what made her return to Sarah bearable.

What a triangle of trial this situation was for Sarah, Hagar and Abraham. We all know how things turned out for Sarah and Abraham but we don't know anything about Hagar's life once she parted company with Abraham. Did she spend the rest of her days alone and husbandless? One thing I do believe: Hagar was a good woman. Various ancient sources claim that Abraham provided well for Ishmael and his mother when it was time for them to leave and that he stayed in close contact with them, visiting Ishmael often. Ishmael and Isaac also remained close as Genesis records they buried their father together (Genesis 25:9). This is how I know Hagar was a good woman. There was no hatred or animosity between Ishmael and Isaac. The credit for that must go not only to Sarah but also to Hagar who didn't teach her son to hate even though he was not the heir.

When Abraham was ninety-nine years old and Ishmael thirteen, the Lord appeared to Abraham and told him Sarah will bear him a son of the covenant. Abraham's first thought was of his love for Ishmael. He fell on his face and asked the Lord to consider him to be the heir (Genesis 17:18). The Lord denied the request but replied, "I have heard thee" (v20). Once again, "I see you....I see the difficulties you have to live with....I will make it up to you". He said He would give Ishmael twelve sons and he would be part of the promise of endless posterity that He had made to Abraham (v 20).

Even though we are many, we are individual entities to the Saviour. He is an ‘individual God’. The God of heaven sees all. He sees all our difficulties, He understands all our feelings, He feels all our heartaches. And He makes up for those things we suffer and endure. He lightens the burdens of those who seek Him and would have Him be their God.  May you, who are in the waiting room waiting for relief of your burdens, receive an increase of faith in the God of Abraham.....the God who fulfils His promises through grace and mercy, now and forever.  

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: LDS ART - WOMEN OF FAITH, Artist Unknown)

CONSECRATED TO GOD

 

I offer this as a way of hope to anyone who is struggling with any level of obedience…..

One year as I studied the Old Testament I became fascinated with the rituals of animal sacrifice performed by ancient Israel. I looked at it in depth to satisfy my fascination but I did not expect it to take my understanding of the Atonement to the next level. I am still learning about this unfathomable sacrifice of Christ which is beyond our mortal understanding but the knowledge I have so far obtained has aided me, beyond my expectation, in living the gospel.

My greatest fascination with animal sacrifice was with the practice of applying the sacrificial blood of the animal, by the priest, to the right ear, right thumb and right toe of the person that was to be consecrated to God. These three parts of the body represented hearing the word of God, acting according to it and walking in His paths according to His commandments, that thereby the consecrated person might be sanctified through the power of the Atonement (see Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 1:2:387-88 as quoted by the Old Testament Student Manual). Learning of the significance of applying the sacrificial blood to the person for the purposes of sanctification and consecration had a great impact on me. I incorporated the practice of consecrating myself to God, through thought, word and deed, in my morning prayers. As I did so, the image of the priest applying the sacrificial blood to ear, thumb and toe would come into my mind to accompany my words.  This practice of daily consecration was something that strengthened my resolve to obey the command of ‘practicing virtue and holiness before God continually’ (D&C 46:33) and my obedience improved dramatically. A weakness that had troubled me for a long time was turned into a strength and a stumbling block removed from my path.  

And here is something interesting: the lamb offered in sacrificial rituals represented Christ as the sacrifice for humanity, the priest represented Christ as the Mediator and the person who offered the lamb for the sacrifice represented Christ standing in for others not being able to pay for justice of sin. These are the three roles He undertook during the Atonement: the sacrifice, the mediator and the substitute  (Jukes, Law of the Offerings, pp 44-45 as quoted in the Old Testament Student Manual p 160). The entire ritual of sacrificing just one animal emulated the propitiation of Christ in every way, in its entirety (1 John 2:2; 4:10).

I hope when we are brought before the God of our salvation on judgment day and He views us with an all-searching eye (2 N 9:44) that we will be found consecrated to Him in every thought, word, and deed, walking in holiness and virtue before Him and because of it, our confidence will wax strong in His presence (D&C 121:45) and we will confidently walk into His arms to remain there forever…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Lamb by Stephen Sawyer)

OUR ETERNAL HOPE

 

Imagine if our eternal destiny looked like this:

“….if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil….and our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself….” (2 N 9:9). Besides calling him the devil, Nephi’s brother Jacob, also called him ‘an awful monster’ and ‘death and hell’, meaning ‘the death of the body and also the death of the spirit’ (v10).

Cast your mind back to the pre-existence. We knew this ‘monster’ as Lucifer, the son of the morning, who was in authority in the presence of God and who sought the throne of the Only Begotten Son, whom the Father loved (D&C 76:25,26; 88:115). So great was Lucifer in the beginning that the very heavens wept over him when he rebelled and became the monster of death and hell (D&C 76:26). Imagine losing a son and brother with such great potential….and now he is compared to a thief (John 10:10) who seeks to steal, kill and destroy, for……

He is the collector of ruined lives,

The Master of ravaged souls.

He is the Son of the Morning,

His pride yielded irreversible cost

In the beginning we sorely wept

When his soul was forever lost.

 

According to Jacob, eternal misery could never be our outcome because of the goodness of our God who prepared a way ‘for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster’ (2 N 9:10). Because of the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel, ‘body and spirit shall be restored to itself again and all men become incorruptible and immortal’ (2 N 9:12,13). The heavens no doubt echoed as we sang and shouted for joy (Job 38:7) that one was chosen with such integrity of character, the dependability, the steadfastness, the selflessness, the perfection, the power, and all the divine attributes that would enable him to rescue us from hell. Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, became our hope of escape from the clutches of the one who would make us miserable forever.

 

If not for You,

Where would I be?

I would belong to the enemy.

 

If not for You,

Where would I be?

I would be lost in obscurity.

 

If not for You,

Where would I be?

Death would claim me for eternity.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Jesus the Symbol of Hope by Ivan Guaderrama)

FATHER'S SORROW

 

I have reflected from time to time on my inability to understand how a loving Father could send His children to a vale of suffering. Yes, I have always understood the Gospel’s explanation of the fact that we needed to grow and be tested but I could not really process this emotionally and reconcile it with my heart, especially since I am a mother and a mother would do anything to prevent suffering for her children. I also understood that God has all past, present and future before Him constantly so He knows we will eventually come through our sufferings. Still, my heart could not really accept that either.

This morning as I prayed, I understood so clearly what a sacrifice it was for the Father to send us to mortality. I remembered His conversation with Enoch and how He wept showing him His disobedient children on earth (Moses 7:28). There cannot possibly be pain without love. Those who hurt you the most are the ones you love the most. I understood that the Father’s tender feelings are ever present throughout our mortal probation. As I prayed and understood this, I had an overwhelming desire to make up for all those who do not want to know Him or those who are willfully disobedient. I wept knowing how inadequate I am to bring this to fruition but I had an overwhelming desire to be a dutiful daughter, even like His dutiful Son. I hope that my desire at least, will be some solace to His pained heart.

If sending us to a period of suffering was hard enough for Him, imagine how hard it was for the Father to allow His only mortal son, His Only Begotten, to descend to the bottomless pit of human suffering. This is the sacrifice greatest of all. Not just the sacrifice of the Son in laying down His life, but the sacrifice of the Father in allowing Him to do it. There is only one thing in my mind that would make this possible and that is Father’s knowledge of the joy that awaits us because of this sacrifice. The greatest thing He can give us is eternal joy, but even greater, His heart, which He has sacrificed for a season so this can become a reality. This is love.

And here is serious food for thought that I have found hard to accept: “If God suffers as mortal parents do when one of their children suffers, then, as long as God procreates, He will suffer…..God has felt and will yet feel our infirmities because He loves us, rejoices with us, suffers with us, and weeps with us. His suffering is a never-ending process of which the Atonement was an integral part. In this sense, the Saviour’s suffering continues, worlds without end.” (Elder Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p 155)

The last sentence is like a dagger to my heart…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown) 

TO BE ONE

 

 

There are two reasons why the Father loves the Son. And He loves Him and favours Him above all others, and this is why:

1. Because of what He has done for the rest of His children by way of salvation. Love is a two way street and nobody loves the Father more than the Son. If we loved Him as much, we would be sinless also.

2. In Jesus’ words: ‘I do ALWAYS those things that please Him’ (John 8:29). The operative word here is ‘always’…..not sometimes because I have to please other people  too and not sometimes because I have to please myself also…….but always….. I do the right thing ALWAYS to bring joy and delight to my Father….for I am a dutiful Son.

Through His relentless obedience, the Saviour grew one with the Father before this world even began. He gained the status of a God before worlds were rolled into existence. In fact, worlds came into existence BECAUSE He became a God (Moses 1:33). He became like the Father in every instance. The Father’s will became His will. The Father’s power became His power. The Father’s glory became His glory. Can you imagine such oneness??? And because of this oneness, Christ inherited all the Father has.

I suspect there is so much more to this theory than we can possibly fathom here and now. There is so much we do not understand in this life that we are given to know. Truth that is discerned only through the manifestations of the spirit are sometimes difficult to access when we are so busy trying to decipher the complexities of our mundane earthly lives. But I do know one thing. We are now being prepared, through the Gospel of His Son, to be brought back into the presence of the Father. The oneness has to begin here and now. There is only one sure way to achieve this and that is by emulating the life of the Son. Pleasing the Father should be our only objective, not anybody else, and most certainly not ourselves. In a world where ‘living MY truth’ has become supreme, this can be a challenge on many levels. When we can say with sincerity of heart: ‘I always do those things that please Him’, we have arrived to the oneness with God. Then when all this is over and we have been sanctified, we can step into His presence with surety that we belong there….no, we will not step, we will run…..

 

I yearn to remember the splendour of my eternal home;

I yearn to feel the closeness of Thy presence

And the warmth of Thy embrace.

Grant me Father might to follow Thee,

And desire to always seek Thy face,

That we might be one through Thy Son’s eternal grace.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art AI Generated by unknown) 

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

 

There is something exquisite about the Book of Mormon and it is this: The Saviour can be seen on every page. Whether it is through His recorded dealings with people of the Americas or what others have said about Him, or revelations He has given to other people, this book of scripture makes the Saviour real and provides a wealth of knowledge about His character. Reading chapter 3 of 2 Nephi that deals with the prophecies of Joseph of Egypt has left me in awe of this fact.  Such detailed outline of something that would happen centuries later proves a remarkable truth: the Christ that we worship is a god who has the past, the present, and the future before Him at all times and is therefore in perfect control of the outcome of the Plan of Salvation (D&C 130:7).

To me this chapter is a wealth of knowledge. Here’s one: In latter-day prophecy regarding the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, the Saviour told Joseph of Egypt that the voices of those who would write the records would ‘cry from the dust……after many generations have gone by them…because of their faith (2 Nephi 3:20,21). Who’s faith? Enos, for one, comes to mind. Enos pleaded with the Lord that He would preserve the records of his people and bring them forth unto the Lamanites that ‘they might be brought unto salvation’ (Enos 1:13). And take note of this: ‘Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask IN FAITH, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it and I had faith…..’ (Enos 1 :15,16). Is this not a voice from the dust? Have the records not been preserved? Have they not come forth to bring salvation to the Lamanites and indeed the whole of the House of Israel?

This is what captures my heart. Enos was in pre-existence, with the rest of those who would record the history of ancient America, when the Lord gave that detailed prophecy of the Nephites to Joseph of Egypt. Why is this so relevant to us? Because it should give us courage knowing that if we place our trust in the Lord, He will bring us in the end where we are meant to be…. because He knows what that end is. He knew it before you were even born. All you have to do is walk the path he sets before you and you will arrive at your ultimate destination. He will give you your ultimate end. Trust in the process and stay aligned with Him every day of your life. He knows where you have been, He knows where you are now, and He knows where you will end up. Because He knows your end, He will guide you to avoid the pitfalls, remove your stumbling blocks and protect you from forces that are working to tear you down. All He asks is that you let Him be your God.

I marvel as You lead me

Over mountains and over vales.

And when I fall,

You soothe away my pains.

I marvel at Thy patience,

I marvel at Thy love,

I marvel at Thy faith in me

And what I will become.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Guiding Light by Annie Henrie Nader)

IN ALIGNMENT

 

When I was baptized at 18 years of age, I said to the missionaries who baptized me: “I will never give a talk and I will never go on a mission”. Three months later I was giving my first talk and when I turned 21 I knew I had to go on a mission. My resistance was hard to overcome. I simply did not want to go. As my obstinacy grew, it began to nurture criticism of the Church. I became troubled to the point where I was driven to my knees. Shortly after my prayer, the confirmation was given of what I already knew and was resisting so hard and I was reborn. My attitude about everything changed and all my fears and concerns went away. I fulfilled an honourable mission which strengthened my convert’s heart. That was 45 years ago. I did the right thing but I missed a very big lesson which is this: when you are not in alignment with God, you are swimming against the tide.

Like a lot of people, I like to ride on a roller coaster of worrying over my life to the point where I would periodically hit rock bottom in my mental health. Then God would lift me up and give me clarity, and then I would walk on air until the next wave of my cycle hit. The last wave was affecting me far too much until I was enlightened to understand that I needed to step up on my ladder of faith. I understood in that moment that this would solve everything I had concerns about. As soon as I came to this understanding, my spirits rose and I understood the path that was God’s purpose for me. I knew the direction I was to take and I was stunned at the instant turn-around in my emotional well-being. I also realized that I experienced this quick turn around every time God lifted me up and I chose to follow His counsel.

Whatever it is that is preventing you from being in alignment with God, it will always produce fears, doubts, concerns, worries, and a myriad of other negative emotions that tear us down. If you are in the grip of an addiction and sin, you will feel a dislike of self and a barrier between you and God. When you are in alignment, all this goes away. This is called peace. We had sufficient faith in this earth life before we were born. We had faith that it could give us the desired end and we had faith in ourselves that we would allow God to guide us to that end. Now that we are here, it is time to allow Him to travel that road with us and to save us from unnecessary turmoil that we inflict upon ourselves. He will give us wisdom, He will give us peace, He will give us life eternal.

I will look to Thee to lift me up

When into the depths of sorrow

I sink and comfort cannot find;

I will look to Thee to lift me up

When nothing makes sense

In my troubled finite mind.

I will look to Thee to lift me up

When forsaken I happen to be;

I will 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)

TO PROSPER

 

 

In conjunction with his profound statement that he was ‘encircled about eternally in the arms of His love’ (2 Nephi 1:15), Lehi said something else that was just as profound. I say conjunction, because I think the content of these two scriptures are related. This is the scripture:  “And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence” (v 20). This, I think, is what landed Lehi in God’s arms and this is why.

To prosper in the land is not a reference to being rich. Scripturally, prosperity means to have the blessing of being close to God, to be in His presence, that’s the opposite of being ‘cut off’. The fact that God’s commandments are closely tied to spiritual blessings of righteousness, peace, faith, fortitude, self-control and ultimately eternal life, confirms this fact. Another fact, Alma the Younger, in his sinful state, became a hindrance to the ‘prosperity’ of the Church (Mosiah 27:9). The prosperity of the Church was not tied to the riches of this world but to the hearts and spiritual well being of its members. For this reason, this advice is given over and over in the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 2:20; 2 Nephi 1:9; 20, 31; Jarom 1:9; Mosiah 1:7; Alma 37:13; 49:30; 50:20).

To prosper means to move forward, to be added upon, to successfully come out of difficulties, to have things work out for you, to have all you need come to you providentially, to be spared misfortune, to thrive, to flourish. Consider this explanation from the Church D&C Institute Manual: “To be rich and successful is of this world. God’s blessings are spiritual, in line with the spiritual realm that He is part of. His presence and strengthening power in your life are for the benefit of your eternal prosperity. He makes you prosper eternally because His work and His glory is to bring to pass immortality and eternal life of man. Though wealth and success can be byproducts of the Lord’s prospering presence, they are not meant to be equated with it. Spiritual blessings of wisdom, understanding and knowledge are spiritual blessings that can lead to riches and success. He does not necessarily bring wealth into your life himself”. This explanation goes along well with evidence of God’s presence in Lehi’s life, because Lehi was not only spiritually but temporally rich too.

This fact is true. If you let go of the world, God will come to you…..in more ways than one. But if you acquire riches as the result, be careful, riches are a trial of their own. Reflect on Nephite’s cycle of pride. The question is, what do we want more? To be in God’s arms or in the arms of the world?

I come to Thee Father,

In whose arms I belong,

Whose arms I once left long ago.

No earth’s breath between us

To mar the union of our souls,

No desires of heart to match our eternal joy.

 

(My apologies for inadequate referencing of the Institute Manual which I neglected to note at the time).

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Home by David Bowman)

VALIDATING GOD

 

 

Before Lehi died he said something highly profound to his children. He said: “I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love” (2 Nephi 1:15). Note that he did not say I ‘will be’, when I am judged and found worthy and will therefore be rewarded with eternal life with God. He said I ‘AM’, meaning he was already there, in His arms, with not an iota of the world between the two of them. How did Lehi end up in the Father’s arms while still in his probationary state? The answer lies in the rest of this scripture. Firstly, he says his soul was redeemed from hell. This sounds like an iron clad assurance that his sins were forgiven him.  Secondly, he says he has beheld his glory. The assurance of his forgiveness most likely came from a personal visitation from the Lord where his calling and election was made sure. This scripture says a great deal to me about Lehi and the life he lived. The lost 116 pages of the Book of Mormon would be an incredible read.

There is a distinction between the Church and the Gospel. The role of the Church is to bring us to Christ and the role of Christ is to bring us to the Father, and that means not just in the eternities, but also here. In every way, we are being trained and prepared here and now to live in the Father’s presence. This is the goal. The Saviour came not only to atone for us but also to reveal the Father to us (see “The Grandeur of God” by Jeffrey R. Holland, October 2003 conference talk).

Being a good member of the Church and being in God’s arms are two different things. You can be a good member by mechanically obeying the rules but being in God’s embrace means validating Him in your life. How do we do that? By making Him our partner in all our responsibilities, overcoming our downfalls, seeking His guidance and His will, turning to Him in all things and being aligned with His Spirit in righteousness. It is making Him a reality rather than a belief.

Some time ago I had a wonderful experience whilst I was praying. I had a vision in my mind of being in Father’s arms leaning against His ample chest. It made me weep uncontrollably. At the time I thought that was a memory from my pre-existence and it might very well have been but I know that our relationship with Him here and now can be described in those terms as well. If we feel the closeness, the love, the devotion, if we feel Him in our lives because we are aligned with Him and His will, we are in His arms…..we are being more than just good members of the Church and His offspring. We are being children of God.

I yearn to feel the closeness of

Your presence

And once again feel the warmth of

Your embrace.

I come to You, Father,

Through the gift of

Your Son’s benevolent grace.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Beloved Son by Danny Hahlbohm)