TO KNOW HIM

 

I wept through the early hours of my day yesterday as I mused about my love for the Saviour and what He means to me. I was walking on air when I left the house and headed for the supermarket.

I felt like the Holy Ghost was walking with me and holding my hand…..until I laid eyes on a young man in his early 20s wearing a black T-shirt. On the back of it was written in large letters the most profane, vile and vulgar description of Christ I have ever seen or heard before. I was so shocked that I was sickened and had to avert my eyes to prevent them from burning.

The Holy Ghost was gone and I was left wondering about this experience for the rest of my day. I wondered about the young man and if he understood exactly what he was doing. What kind of a home did he come from? Did he hold a grudge against God? What would possess him to like such an abhorrent saying and want to wear it on his body? I half expected those words to burn through his back and lodge deep into his soul. One thing was obvious, this young man did not know the Saviour. He simply could not have.

As the day wore on different thoughts came into my mind. One of them was God weeping over his children during his encounter with Enoch (Moses 7:28). I half understood the pain. If I was so grieved to see such offence committed against His Son, I cannot fathom how the Father would feel.

I read recently an article about the creation of this earth with a very plausible proposition that the worst and the best of the Father’s children were chosen for this planet. That is evident when we consider that no other group of humanity would crucify their God (2 Nephi 10:3).

Every time I see someone mock, deny, and tread Christ under their feet it makes me feel like we are  crucifying Him afresh. Paul spoke of this concept in relation to those who have the truth and then deny it but I think it applies to most of our society (Hebrews 6:6; see also JST Hebrews 6).

I have always been highly impressed with Joseph’s praise of the Saviour. You cannot read it and not know that Joseph knew Him. It stands in such stark contrast to the T-shirt that I am not surprised it was recalled to me. You cannot read it and not feel it in the depths of your soul:

“Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel…..Let the mountains shout for joy and all ye valleys cry aloud, and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy!....And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever……”  (D&C 128:23)

This is what we should feel about Christ. When He comes we will want to be the ones who know Him. When He comes, we will want to kneel before Him and profess His greatness and confess that  He is the Rock of Heaven, the Lord Omnipotent, Alpha and Omega, the Son of God, Wonderful, Counselor, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace……Jesus Christ, the Son of God…..

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Jesus the Anointed by Greg Collins)