A SACRED LOVE

 

 

Moroni’s discourse on love is legendary. And not just any love but a love without which we are nothing; a love that survives hatred, animosity, harm, racism, sin, abuse, evil and all the inhumanity we are capable of; a love that ensures salvation at the last day (Moroni 7:44). Moroni called this love charity (v 47).

This love is unique to Christ and cannot be developed by others. It is therefore a gift bestowed upon those who are true followers of Christ and it must be sought through prayer (Moroni 7:48) . This love ensures that we become the sons and daughters of God so that when He appears, we shall be like Him (v 48). This love is the foundation of the glories of heaven and the cradle of eternity.

This love is the pure love of Christ, a love that endures forever and ever (v 47).

I have been praying for this love for some time now. I knew I was on the right path when I started seeing people as God’s children in the literal sense. Being a parent myself, I could relate to this and I began to understand why it is sinful to disparage anyone. I know how I would feel if someone thought ill of my children or considered them of little or no worth. So I began to understand and I began to think and feel differently about people around me.

I didn’t, however, expect to have a foretaste of the pure love of Christ through my own child. I thought I already loved her. Let me explain the difference between the two.

Over a year ago my daughter, who is no longer active in the Church, estranged herself from our family for no known reason. She merely said she needed space. She lives in another state so we could not understand this need. I went through bewilderment, sorrow, anger. And then an unexpected understanding of where she was standing came to me and all of a sudden I entered the space of forgiveness and compassion and I forgot about myself. She became more important than my feelings.

When Moroni identified its’ characteristics, he said that charity ‘seeketh not her own’ (Moroni 7:45). This means charity is not self-centered but is selfless. It puts the welfare of others before oneself. Christ exemplified this love through His atoning sacrifice.

When the Saviour came forward in pre-existence and said, “Here am I, send me”, He asked for nothing for himself. His only desire was to preserve the Father’s glory and to bring each one of us to His own station of perfection, glory, power and dominion. His motive was our salvation. He had no hidden agendas for self-advancement. His love was not contaminated with self-interest. It was pure. Unlike Lucifer, He did not seek to elevate himself through the work of salvation.

Without this selfless love the Atonement would not have been possible.  

When we are in possession of this love, we are able to by-pass our egos and bless each other's lives with its' power that makes a difference to the struggling other. Through this difference we start to assume the role of ‘saviours on mount  Zion’.  

May we reach across boundaries, limits and fears and shrink not from the love that will bind us together and lift us to  that place where we will at last, once more, once again and forever, see the face of God. Without this love, we cannot abide in His presence.

I long to be where I once was,

A child in my eternal home.

I long to see the God of love

And with Him walk the heaven’s floor.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: He Lifts Me Up by Danny Hahlbohm)