TO RETURN WITH HONOUR

 

I have often wondered how Heavenly Father felt sending us into mortality knowing that some of us will never return. Did He mourn for our impending loss of innocence? Did He mourn for the suffering of His Beloved Son? I would imagine it was much like us when our children have matured into adulthood and we are faced with surrendering our control and influence. Often times we do so with trepidation.

One thing I am sure of. The Father’s faith and trust in His Beloved Son to fulfil His duty as the Saviour of His children would have been iron clad. I am always deeply touched when I come across scriptural proofs of the strong bond between them.

One year when I was studying the Book of Mormon I noticed that during His visit to the Americas Jesus talked incessantly about the Father. I counted 163 references He made to Him and 15 references of His obedience to Him (see 3 Nephi 15:14-16,18,19; 16:3,10,16; 17:2; 18:14,27; 20:10,14,46)

The bond is unbreakable because the Saviour is and has always been the most dutiful Son. This is evident in His statements such as: “I do nothing but what I have seen my Father do (John 8:26,28,38) and “I do always those things that please Him” (John 8:29).

And surely there is no greater act of obedience and love than to be sent to the crucible of the cross: “My Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross” (3 Nephi 27:14) and; “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life….no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself….” (John 10:17,18). This is the Father’s sacrifice, this is the Father’s  love.

The Father watches over us with assurance that the path has been paved by His Beloved Son so that we might return to Him. None of us should allow ourselves to be the cause of His sorrow.  I often hope that those of His obedient children will in some small measure make up for the ones that are lost.

Imagine the joy when one of us returns with honour. Think of President Nelson returning home….May we be a delight to the Father forever. And may our hearts be overflowing with gratitude for the Son who has made the path to this joy possible.

I will come to Thee Father

In whose arms I belong,

Whose arms I left so long ago.

No earth’s breath between us

To mar the union of our souls,

No desires of heart to match

Our eternal joy.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Forever by David Bowman)

THE NATURE OF HAPPINESS

 

When we think of the nature of God we usually reflect on the godly attributes such as love, compassion, mercy, righteousness, perfection. God has other characteristics though that we don’t remember from our time with Him. Consider the profound insight of President Heber C. Kimball :

“I am perfectly satisfied that my Father and my God is a cheerful, pleasant, lively and good-natured Being. Why? Because I am cheerful, pleasant, lively, and good-natured when I have His Spirit. That is one reason why I know, and another is – the Lord said, through Joseph Smith, “I delight in a glad heart and a cheerful countenance.” That arises from the perfection of His attributes. He is a jovial, lively person, and a beautiful man. (In Journal of Discourses 4:222)

“The plan of happiness, which is spoken about so often in the Church today, comes from a “Man of Happiness” as well as a “Man of Holiness”. Our developing faith comes as we understand better the purpose of the scriptures, and that is to teach us the nature of a saved being, he who beckons us to become like Him.”  (Jerry A. Wilson, “The Great Plan of Happiness-Insights From the Lectures on Faith” p 37)

I once posted a picture of Jesus laughing that enraged one sister who thought that was very disrespectful. She said she could imagine Jesus smiling but not laughing. Yes, He was a Man of Sorrows but I am hoping that His life was not all misery. He had a family who loved Him. He had friends and followers who adored Him. He must have had moments of laughter and joy.

It is amazing to me that some of us do not believe that God the Father and His Son have the full spectrum of emotions. I love to laugh and I am hoping that there will be lots of laughter in eternity.

I am pretty convinced we lived in a state of happiness with our heavenly parents before this life. This is what the Father wants us to come back to. We hail from a happy place and from happy parents. We are in their likeness and have the potential to become as they are in their immortal perfection. That should be the focus of our entire existence.

 

I wish to reside in the shadow of your heart,

To never know sadness

Or the wretched heat of my tears.

I know I would be happy there,

Cradled in the perfect centre of Your being.

I want to feel the miracle of Your love

And worship the wonder of You.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: My Heart Flutters by Greg Collins)

THE ONLY ONE

 

When I joined the Church, I was very grounded in it. I felt like I had come home. The doctrine of the kingdom sunk deep into my soul. I loved it all: the members, the meetings, the leaders. I revered the prophets who led me to Christ but prophets come and go and yet this truth remains….there is only one source of salvation and that is our Saviour Jesus Christ. His power and glory will endure forever. He is our focus, He is our model, He is our all…..

Through “The Lectures On Faith” we are told that we need three kinds of knowledge for salvation: 1. The knowledge that God exists; 2. The knowledge of the characteristics and attributes of God; and 3. The Knowledge that our course of life is agreeable to God (Jerry A. Wilson, “The Great Plan of Happiness, Insights from the Lectures On Faith”, p 9)

Who is our God? It is He who has created this earth and made himself the author of our salvation. It is He who works to bring about the purposes of the Father regarding His children. Whilst we are here, the Saviour, the Christ, the Rock of Heaven, the He who was crucified for the sins of the world is our God. He is the one who deserves the glory, the adulation, the love….more than anyone.

I wager that most people in the world know that God exists. Somehow it seems innate in us to believe in higher power. The privilege we, as Latter-day Saints have, through the restored gospel, is the knowledge of the character of God we worship, the Son of the Father:

 1. He was God before the world was created; 2. He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in goodness; 3. He changes not, He is the same yesterday, today and forever; 4. He is a God of truth and cannot lie; 5. He is no respecter of persons, He offers salvation to all who will believe and accept Him; 6. He is a God of love.  (ibid p 28). He is the same as God the Father and in that respect they are one God.

In our present sorrow, there is great comfort because we have such a God, He who endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him (Hebrews 12:2); the joy of uniting the human family beyond the sting of death…..we owe it all to Him: our family and friend associations throughout eternity, our everlasting life, our glorious destiny for all eternity.  Is it not a time to rejoice??? 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Majestic Christ by Chris Brazelton)

SELF-WILL

 

I have been pondering of late just how much of myself am I willing to give to God. I have been on the path of faithfulness my entire Church life but never could quite come to the point of being able to sincerely say, “thy will be done”.

How much of myself should I give to God? All of it….because none of me belongs to me. Neal A. Maxwell has said that our will is “really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Swallowed Up In The Will of the Father”, General Conference Oct 1995). Everything else He has given us including our bodies and the air we breathe.

King Benjamin also tells us that we belong to God and not to ourselves (Mosiah 2:26). Not being owners of self makes us stewards instead and that is a responsibility we should not take lightly:

“In the Church a stewardship is a sacred spiritual or temporal trust for which there is accountability. Because all things belong to the Lord, we are stewards over our bodies, minds, families, and properties (See D&C 104:11-15)”. Being a steward in this life means you own nothing…..not even yourself. The one who created us owns it all.

A faithful steward is one who exercises righteous dominion over self and his fellowman. Have you ever heard someone say, "It's my life, I'll do with it what I want"? I am pretty certain we are all familiar with this statement. Some of us have heard it from our defiant children.

Imagine if the Saviour had said that when He sojourned in mortality. Imagine if He decided He was going to do His own will as opposed to the Father’s. Where would we be today?

I am now in one of the most difficult periods of my life and have the opportunity to rise to this next level of growth where I can choose to say the words that rolled off the Saviour’s tongue in the Garden of Gethsemane, which I know will elevate me to a higher level of faith.

It’s amazing to me how I have been brought to this moment of the greatest difficulty in my life to make this choice. I imagine the Saviour missing from the Garden….who would have taught me to say the most important words I will ever utter?

I am at the gate of Gethsemane looking in and I am beginning to understand the man kneeling there in agony….Oh how I admire Him….and want to be like Him!

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art by Liz Lemon Swindle)

FEAR

 

I was privileged recently to be given a deeper understanding of ‘fear’ through a personal experience that I will not recount here as my aim is to share the lesson I was given instead. Rest assured though that I have had my battle with this principle so I speak from my own frame of reference.

I concede that the adversary uses fear as a form of control but I am talking about deep seated fears here that we ourselves have created which sabotage our growth, our direction in life, and even our faith in God. Fears that subvert our path in life, cause mistrust, rob us of peace and use us like puppets on a string disguised as an unseen enemy.

Most of you are familiar with the scripture that says, “for God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). The sound mind is for us to discern falsehood from reality. Fear is not reality. Deep seated fears are usually a residual effect of traumatic experiences we have been through.

Fear has no substance, nevertheless, we somehow hold onto it thinking it will protect us from wading into some deep water again that at one stage sought to drown us. Some fears are so deeply engrained in us that we are not even aware that we are harbouring them.

This is the lesson I was taught. Fears too are covered by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Since painful damaging experiences in life are worthy of the healing power of Christ, it goes without saying that fears, being a resultant part of those experiences, are covered by the same redeeming power. We can be healed from them the same way we are healed from consequences of sin, abuse, mistakes, injustice, and every pain known to man.

If you are carrying an experience in your life, that you cannot get past, consider that fear is at play. The Saviour doesn’t want it to control you. He is the Prince of Peace who grants freedom from any debilitating part of mortality. He is waiting to heal you. There is nothing which impedes our growth that He has not atoned for: fear not, only believe.

 I kept my fears so close to my heart,

They hid so well not wanting to depart.

They pulled the strings

And bade me where to go;

They owned my soul

More than I wanted to know.

 

You took possession of the inner me

And thought that change

Would suit me beautifully.

You entered my heart

when I gave You the key

And replaced those fears with tranquility.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Source of Peace and Serenity by Ivan Guadarrama) 

POWER

 

I was going to write about the amazing sacrifices of the pioneers in building the Kirtland Temple. This first temple was no doubt the highlight of the early Church history. I am sure you have read about it.

What I want to write about instead is the infallible proof of the Saviour’s investment in our salvation. It begins with the dedicatory prayer that Joseph Smith received by revelation prior to the dedication which he read out instead of praying spontaneously. The dedicatory prayer of this temple is one of my most favourite sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.

This one promise from it has stuck with me for many years: “And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house ARMED WITH THY POWER, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them.”  (v 22)

Verse 23 speaks of the servants carrying the message of truth in power to the ends of the earth but to me this power means it is available to all members of the Church for their ultimate efforts in progressing toward perfection. I know this because I have felt this power wash over me at the veil several times when I have uttered the word POWER. You temple patrons will understand.

And this is what tells me of the Saviour’s investment in our salvation. In Section 95, the Lord indicated the temple should be built so He can endow those whom He has chosen with power from on high (v 8). Who are the chosen? They are those who make the covenants of obedience and who are presented at the veil. They are the chosen. Obedience is the principle of power.

How much does this tell us about the Saviour and His investment in our growth, our well-being, and our salvation? How much does this tell us about His love, His mercy, His grace, His compassion and His sacrifice for us? It tells us this much: “I am with you to bless you and deliver you forever.”  (D&C 108:8)

 

Your power and Your grace

flood my mortal being 

with everlasting hope

And bring me to Thee;

I love You more dearly;

I obey you more freely;

I become what I alone could never be.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Lord's Appearance to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple by Theodore S. Gorka)

TRUST

 

“A grand part of our experience in mortality is to ultimately trust in the Lord, in the fact that He knows what is best for us and is working for our eternal life. He it is who allows overwhelming or underwhelming experiences to happen in a perfect tutorial. We are here to become as he is, and that will happen in a multitude of ways, it being sometimes in a way we least expect.” (Jerry A. Wilson, “The Great Plan of Happiness-Insights From the Lectures On Faith” p 79)

I have a close friend who once told me I have a ‘rear-view mirror syndrome’. There was a time I used to look back on my life a lot judging my decisions and choices to discover why my life had turned out the way it did and consequently I was always the bad guy, taking the accountability a bit too far for comfort.

When I was young I had a totally different view of how my life would turn out. I think many of us have a vision that does not match our reality. Now I look back and I realise if I had a chance to do it al over again, I would make exactly the same decisions and choices because that’s who I am. I listen to my heart more than logic. It might sound like a bad thing but I have learnt that my heart led me to become who I now am because my heart was listening to God.

My point is this. God knows us better than we know ourselves so He knows how to lead us for our highest good. There is a plan for each of us and it is important we surrender to it fully trusting that a higher power than our inadequate mortal compass can get us to our destination. To some trust is a frightening concept but once you see its fruits, it’s nothing short of freedom.

The Saviour was born within the veil, much like us. He grew from grace to grace (D&C 93:12-3). He had to learn who He was and what was to become of Him. And He trusted the Plan. He trusted in the higher power to get Him to His destination. And He walked a hard road to get there…..still trusting.

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: Prince of Peace by Greg Collins)

DESIRES

 

“A knowledge of the plan of happiness can help you through the difficult times and you can face problems you otherwise could not endure.

“For example: Some years ago a president of a student stake asked if I would counsel with a young couple. The stalwart young man and his lovely wise had recently been told, with some finality, that they would never have children of their own. They were heartbroken as they sobbed out their disappointment. What they wanted most in life….they now were to be denied.

“I consoled them as best as I could and offered comfort that really was insufficient. As they were leaving the office, I called them back and said: “You are a very fortunate and very blessed couple.” They were startled and asked why I would say such a thing as that.

“I answered: “Because you want them. In the eternal scheme of things that will be of inestimable and eternal value.”  The Lord has said that He “will judge all men according to their works, according to the desires of their hearts (D&C 137:9). Many people now do not want children or want few of them or consider them a burden rather than a blessing. They were a very blessed young couple.

“When you understand the plan, you can cope with challenges in life which otherwise would be unbearable.”  (President Boyd K. Packer, The Play and the Plan, CES fireside 7 May 1995 in Kirkland, Washington)

This life is a life where we find out what it is that we really want. How we live the Gospel is a good indication of what that is. Imagine if all our desires were fulfilled in this life. How many of us would abandon our journey to a glorious eternity?

“Abraham’s desires led him to God, to the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the priesthood, to the covenants of salvation, and to a life in which the Lord promised to lift Abraham from a mortal, fallen world. He was promised the happiness of being an eternal parent responsible for worlds and countless children.

“The “covenantal lifting” of Abraham came as he was willing to sacrifice the things of this world, showing to the Lord that he wanted to be like God more than he desired the treasures of the world or life itself.” (Jerry A. Wilson, The Great Plan of Happiness, p 61)

Abraham has now ‘entered into his exaltation and sits upon his throne’ (D&C 132:29). First the probation, then the desires of our hearts……

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Hope Deferred by Chris Brazelton)

A SURE PATH

 

This must be the most comforting doctrine to all the perfectionists in the Church:

“God binds us to Him by covenant. However, it Is not just the physical process of making covenants that brings salvation. As we promise to abide by his laws and commandments, and keep the covenants, He commissions the Holy Ghost to endow us with fruits of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, and meekness (see Galatians 5:19-23).

“These fruits are the very characteristics and attributes of God in which we have trusted and which we long to have in ourselves.” (Jerry A. Wilson, “The Great Plan of Happiness” p 5)

When I joined the Church in my youth and learnt about the Plan of Salvation, I gained one desire: to be a strong person. I am certain this was my goal in pre-mortal life too. I am also certain that I was informed back then that mortality is a state of weakness but somehow over the years of my life I lost that perspective and expected perfection from myself.

I took that “be ye perfect” mandate too literally and ignored the fact that nobody can become perfect in this life and most importantly, without the Saviour’s grace. I knew it theoretically but it’s like it didn’t apply to me so I kept perpetuating high expectations of myself which made me feel I was never good enough.

Now fifty years after I made covenants of obedience through baptism and the temple, I am starting to feel the fruits of the spirit softening my edges and refining my spiritual skills and attributes. I am beginning to see that my efforts are secondary to what God can make of me. The godly attributes we seek to develop are gifts and not our achievements. That, to every perfectionist is the greatest gift.

 

Because the valleys do not

Lead to where I need to be,

You give me mountains to climb

To discover Your divinity.

 

You are so high

And my reach is so low.

To come to Your arms

I accept the mountains

That show me which way to go.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Come Unto Me by Danny Hahlbohm)

WILL IT BE WORTH IT?

 

“When David O. McKay was only 13 years of age, John Smith, the Patriarch to the Church, stopped at the home of Bishop David McKay to give blessings to the children. The Patriarch laid his hands on this young boy’s head and pronounced a powerful blessing, part of which included these words:

“The Lord has a work for thee to do, in which thou shalt see much of the world, assist in gathering scattered Israel, and also labour in the ministry. It shall be thy lot to sit in council with thy brethren and preside among the people and exhort the Saints to faithfulness.”

“After completing the blessing, the patriarch gave David O. a serious look and said: “My boy, you have something to do besides playing marbles.” Later the boy found his mother getting dinner ready and said, “If he thinks I am going to stop playing marbles, he is mistaken.” The mother then took her son aside and told him the meaning of the patriarch’s words. (“Inspirational Stories from the Life Of President David O. McKay”, p 769)

“Each of us must understand theologically that we have more to do than ‘play marbles’ not only here in mortality but especially in the worlds to come.”  (Jerry A. Wilson, “The Great Plan of Happiness”, p 4)

I happened to see a video on YouTube yesterday by one of the commentators who said someone asked him if he thought the person who was assassinated recently now thinks that his life’s work he was dedicated to was worth it.

My immediate thought was: “I wonder if I will look back on my life when I pass and feel that everything I have been through was worth it.” I was immediately brought out of my reverie by the commentator’s response. He said, “yes, I think he would have said it was all worth it because his message was about truth and truth is grounded in Christ. That was his message.”

I reflected on this person’s response. So often we, the elect of God, get caught up playing marbles forgetting that as emissaries of Christ we have a higher purpose, to bear witness of Him who has made our lives possible: through our example, our tenacity, our goodness, our influence, our love, our service, our sacrifices, our endurance, our willingness to stand up for what we believe. We forget sometimes that our lives are not really our own.

The commentator’s final words: “The truth will outlive all of us. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). The truth is eternal. There is nothing more important than it. It’s more important than any of our lives and yes the truth is worth dying for because it is worth living for.”  (Matt Walsh)

I want to remember the beauty of my life

And all my memories near and far;

I want to take them with me

When I am called to cross the bar.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: And The Truth Shall Set You Free by Greg Olsen)

IN HIS CARE

 

“Joseph Smith “saw the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb…in foreign lands, standing together in a circle, much fatigued, with their clothes tattered and feet swollen, with their eyes cast downward, and Jesus standing in their midst, and they did not behold Him. The Saviour looked upon them and wept. (Joseph Smith, “History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” 2:381)

“In this same panoramic vision, the Prophet Joseph saw Elder Brigham Young standing in a strange land….in a desert place, upon a rock in the midst of about a dozen men…who appeared hostile. He was preaching in their own tongue, and the angel of God standing above his head, with a drawn sword in his hand, protecting him, but he did not see it. (“History of the Church 2:381)

“For an unforgettable picture of the unseen angelic armies that protect God’s faithful children, think of Elisha’s frightened young servant who cried when he was surrounded by an ominous army, “Alas, my master! How shall we do?”  Answered Elisha, “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” ….And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”  (2 Kings 6:15-17)

“….when we, like the young servant, feel overwhelmed and surrounded by enemies and troubles, there comes the comforting assurance: The Lord will not leave me alone.”

-          Bruce C. Hafen, “The Believing Heart”, p 102-3

“….I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you. I am in your midst and ye cannot see me”  (D&C 38:7)

Angels are you near me

To catch me if I fall?

Do you stand guard at the entrance

Of my heart

On God’s errand and sentinel’s call?

 

Do you pave the way

And steady my feet,

And ensure my enemy’s defeat?

 

You are unsung heroes

Of every journey’s flight

You are phantoms of love

Concealed from mortal sight.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: In the Arms of an Angel by Danny Hahlbohm)

THE LINK

 

I wrote recently on how important the Church is in our preparation for Zion. The Church as an administrative institution is vital but the members of it even more so. If there were no members, there would be no Church.

There was a time when I was saved by two Wards I belonged to. The first was in my youth when I walked away from my family to be baptised and the second was following my divorce. I had never felt more loved and valued as I had in those two wards. I survived both crisis of enormous loss because of Church members who embraced me and would not let me become lost.

One of the greatest lessons I learnt from the Old Testament is the importance of belonging to a body of saints. Some of you will remember, when the children of Israel conquered the promised land following their captivity in Egypt, they were divided geographically by the River Jordan. The inhabitants of Canaan were ripe in iniquity and idol worship, and as a thorough and complete cleansing of the land was not achieved, they presented a very real threat to the covenant people (Joshua 23:11-16).

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). When these tribes settled they built an altar by that river.

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 that the tribe of Reuben, Gad and Mannesah were united with them in the worship of one true and living God.

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. They recognised the importance of unity in their righteousness.

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 between us that tells us we are one. It tells us to be united in spirit, in love, in care, because you don’t know who you can one day save.

Next time you take the sacrament, think about every member in every ward in every stake in the world doing the same and that by it we are, like the Israelites of old "witnessing between us that the Lord is God" (Joshua 22:34) and thereby keeping the chain unbroken because one day this chain will bring us together to live with Him in Zion in preparation for the celestial kingdom of our eternal home.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Sacrament Meeting by Doc Christensen)

SELF-CONFIDENCE

 

“It is not just the mistake-free, no-fault life that pleases God. He has deliberately placed us in a sphere where the most sharply focused purpose is to learn from our experience and to grow in both our desires and our understanding to be like Him.

“Obviously that includes the greatest effort and integrity we can must as we seek to do His will. But the heart of it all is not SELF-confidence. It is confidence in HIM, and in His power to make us into creatures far beyond the reach of what our goal-setting and goal-achieving can ultimately accomplish in the process of becoming as He is.

“Through the power of the Atonement, the Saviour himself compensates ultimately for our inadequacies, even as He leads us along and strengthens our capacity for good. For that reason HE is the desired repository of our confidence.  To repose our confidence in ourselves rather than in Him is to trust in the arm of flesh…..”

-          Elder Bruce C. Hafen, “The Broken Heart”  p 120,121

 

When in heaven we meet,

Will you want my soul to keep?

 

Will I be worthy of forgiveness,

And a loving word from Thee?

I will kneel and I will weep when I witness

How graciously You accept

So little You find in me.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Within Our Grasp by Jay Bryant Ward)

LOVING YOUR BROTHER

 

“But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Matthew 5:22)

In our world of contempt we have incorporated some pretty demeaning definitions of one another which is making it more and more difficult to love those who are not easy to love. By the above scripture, any form of negative interaction with another person is a serious offence. ‘Raca’ suggests derision in both Aramaic and Greek. The definition of derision in the English dictionary is: contemptuous ridicule and mockery. Anciently, ‘fool’ was a common definition of someone but we have swapped it for a more modern title of ‘idiot’. Same meaning and same serious consequences.

Imagine being in danger of hell by ridiculing or mocking someone. This is how seriously God takes our treatment of one another. And this is why. In this weakened state of mortality our understanding, perception, and even intelligence is somewhat impaired. We can only judge by what we see and what we see is not adequate knowledge to determine why someone does what they do.

We are not privy to other people’s life experiences, their pains, their mentality, their perceptions and their motivations. Nobody has lived in another person’s skin. I heard someone say recently that they hate the word ‘empathy’. He said empathy does not exist. The definition of it is to walk in another’s shoes to feel what it is like to be them and that is simply not possible.

I am constantly amazed that the Saviour loves us in this mortal state because we are so lacking. By virtue of the Atonement, however, the Saviour has complete understanding of why we do what we do and behave as we do. He knows the feel of our skin….because he has been in it. He is the only one who can lay claim to empathy. Because of it He will be able to judge us righteously and perfectly and I can assure you that because of it He will call nobody a fool.

 

Tread softly on my tender heart;

Even though in likeness

We are miles apart.

Though we are separate

In both body and mind;

We are linked together on humanity’s path.

Tread softly on my tender heart…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Eternal Love For You by Annie Henrie Nader)

THE DESTINY OF ZION

 

When Elder Bruce C. Hafen was the Area President here in Australia he shared with me that the goal of the Church was at that time to prepare the members for Zion. That was some 25 years ago.

I learnt something important this year from Section 105 of the Doctrine and Covenants. I was reminded of Elder Hafen and I came to see how important the Church is as an organisation of the body of saints because of its leaders who are implementing this preparation.

We are told certain conditions need to be met before Zion can be established as ‘the bridge between the world as it is and the world as God designed it and meant it to be’ (Hugh Nibley, “Approaching Zion” p 4).

Firstly, the elders of the Church are to be endowed with power from on high that we the members might be taught more perfectly in order to develop more experience concerning our duties and what God requires of us (v 10,11).

There are some who believe they can be inactive in the Church and in the end show up at New Jerusalem’s gate expecting to live a Zion life. Imagine arriving to Zion without any experience behind you that would have taught you to be obedient to the leaders’ instructions and to be  united with other members of the Church community.

Zion can only be built ‘according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom’  (v 3-5). It is this law and this only that enables men to obey the law of consecration whereby they impart of their ‘substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and the afflicted’ (v 3). This was the success of the city of Enoch. Because they were of one heart and one mind they willingly met each other’s needs so there was no poor among them (Moses 7:18).

If God’s goal for the human family is unity, you can be assured that Satan’s is division. I don’t know how much progress we have made in the last 25 years since Elder Hafen was here. Right now the world is divided into left and right and contention and disunity is rife. President Nelson is constantly warning us against this because our destiny as the Church of Jesus Christ is great.

The celestial law that will get us to Zion is not just about obedience but also love. Love leads to unity. The Lord called the city of Enoch, Zion the Pure in Heart. The people of this city ‘walked’ with God (Moses 7:69) which means they were ‘true’ followers of Jesus Christ and as true followers of Jesus Christ they were endowed with the ‘pure’ love of Christ (Moroni 7:48).

This is the key: He leads and we follow. We follow His example of love, compassion, understanding, tolerance, respect, giving and ministering……today obedience, tomorrow Zion, the day after Celestial Kingdom. In Joseph’s words: “We are on the pathway to eternal fame, and immortal glory.” 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: As I Have Loved You by B. Laura Wilson)

TO LIVE

 

 

“Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

(Isaiah 40:28-31)

In all our suffering and stumbling in the dark we tend to turn to the ways of the world to fill us. We seek for the corruptible things of this earth that have no lasting power to fill our cracks, heal our sorrows and make up for our lack. We think that this dismal telestial world has treasures to offer us that will somehow make us whole. The truth is that the lustre of this world can only be seen during the day. When the night falls, the emptiness is still there, the pain exposed, the suffering unbearable.

If we would but drink from the fountain of living water that the Saviour offers us, we would be filled with that which matters most, that which is lasting, that which will speak peace to the deepest recesses of our soul. Then the suffering will be bearable and even conquerable. Then the lack will not matter and the cracks will diminish and fade. Then we can look forward to the living water within us springing up into everlasting life.

 

Thou art the source of all my blessings,

Thou art the source of all my joys,

Thou art the living water

I drink with haste

And savour each and every drop

So careful of tragic waste.

Feed me Saviour ever more

The love that flows with every cup

Grant me my fill each day

That keeps me living and bears me up. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Jesus Living Water by Grok2)

ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

 

We have the deepest and darkest nights in this earth life. If we endure them well, these nights teach us, give us a broader perspective and in the end heal us. And this is how the healing happens. After every deep and dark night comes the dawn.

Cast your mind on the death of the most prolific, important, significant and worshipped person who has ever lived on this earth. Thirty-four years after His birth, a huge, terrible storm swept over the land of America. The upheaval was of such proportion that the face of all the land was torn apart and deformed. Cities caught on fire and collapsed into the sea and mountains were upheaved (3 Nephi 9:5-22)

So great was the storm that a thick, frightening vapor of darkness covered the land. So dark, thick, suffocating and palpable was the darkness that the stars and the sun could not produce any light for three days (v 23). Imagine the chaos. Could people find their children and their loved ones? Did they know if anybody survived? Could they walk in any direction not knowing where they were? If they were hurt, could they get help?

Imagine such suffering that echoed across continents and caused the Spirit of God to exclaim: “The God of nature suffers” (1 Nephi 19:12). Such was the darkest night that brought about the light of dawn which proclaimed: “I am the light and the life of the world.” (3 Nephi 9:18).

There was no more fitting way to proclaim the Saviour to be the light of the world, the dawn after the night, the power that brings life, the truth that says nothing in this life is lost. This is not the beginning and not the end. First the night and then the dawn….first the death and then the life…..first the emptiness and then the full cup….

I stand in awe of Your sacrifice

And Your soul’s pain;

The body freely given

For nothing of You to remain.

 

I ache, I ache,

Knowing the cost;

Then I remember where You are

And I am comforted

Knowing nothing is lost.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Fill My Cup Lord by Danny Hahlbohm)