A SACRED HOPE

 

As I reflected on my life recently I had a surreal experience where I saw myself before the Father who was asking me questions about my mortal experience. As I stood before Him I could not answer one question such as: How did you enjoy your mortal probation, what do you think you learnt from it, how do you think you did overall? Every time I opened my mouth, I could say nothing.

I understood there and then that there was nothing I could hide or tell half-truths about because He knew the very essence of my being: my innermost thoughts and intents, my sins, my rebellious moments in response to my sufferings, the times I had questioned Him and His goodness, my dislikes and likes, my conduct, my earthly indignities, my ingratitude, everything that made me tick….there was nothing, absolutely nothing about me or in me that He did not know.

I felt He was not watching me but looking into the very depths of my soul. It was as if He was inside me. I understood clearly as I understand that day follows night because I can see it, that God is so inter-connected with His children that it defies our mortal understanding. We, here and now, do not know and cannot fathom our spiritual origin or the Father’s connection with His children. God is beyond our understanding.

Then hope flooded my being. I had nothing to say and would not need to. There was someone who would absorb the totality of my life to answer all the questions the Father would have of my conduct, my intentions, my achievements, my failings. It would all be absorbed in the atoning blood of The Advocate who suffered for my soul. He would with His strength make up for my fragility.

This is grace, the ultimate all-encompassing gift, second only to eternal life. This grace too is beyond our understanding. We will fully come to know it when we are face to face with justice of the Father. We will know then who the Saviour truly is…a sacrifice that none of us could give, a hope of salvation, another God we are yet to comprehend.

When those who accept the gospel stand before the judgment bar of God, the Lion of Judah, the protector, will step forward in all His majesty and might as the guardian of our redemption. He will then ask the Father to judge His righteousness instead, to appease justice, saying:

“Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.” (D&C 45:4,5)

 

I marvel that you could perceive

every thought of my heart,

Long before you gifted one to me;

That you trusted my will to obey

With You so dim in my memory.

I stand amazed at Your sufferance

Of the struggling sinner like me,

And the steadfast flow of help you bestow

From the merciful heart that is in Thee.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Strength and Fragility by Greg Collins)

CONSECRATING SELF

 

 

The year I studied animal sacrifice in depth, I came to understand the Atonement at a deeper level. I was absolutely mesmerised by this practice and being a visual person I wished I could witness it in the flesh. Understanding animal sacrifice has made me see the necessity of the principle of consecration in my life.

This is what touched me the most: A part of the animal sacrifice ceremony included the priest applying a small amount of animal’s blood to the tip of the right ear, the right thumb and the great toe of the right foot of the person to be consecrated.  This is what it meant:

·         On the tip of the ear: sanctifying the organ of hearing God’s word;

·         On the thumb of right hand: sanctifying the organ of action;

·         On the great toe of right foot: sanctifying the organ of walking and following God.

When I read this I wondered how I could apply this symbolism to my personal consecration to God and it came to me that just as Christ sacrificed Himself totally and completely for my sake, my sacrifice to God must be equally so: through my thoughts, my speech, my attitudes, my beliefs, my desires, my intents, my actions.

I began to consecrate myself verbally to God in prayer daily through thought, word and deed and promised to walk in paths of righteousness. As I uttered those words, the image of the priest applying sacrificial blood to my ear, thumb and toe would come into my mind. That image of the priest became indelibly impressed upon my mind. I have been doing this for a long time now and it has made a significant difference to my daily conduct.

The Saviour expects nothing of us that He himself did not do. Consider His total consecration to the Father which made Him ‘the lamb without blemish’ (1 Peter 1:19): “Had there been one thought in the mind of Jesus which was not perfectly given to God; had there been but one affection in the heart of Jesus which was not yielded to His Father’s will; had there been one step in the walk of Jesus which was taken not for God, but for His own pleasure; then He could not have offered Himself or been accepted as a ‘whole burnt- offering….but Jesus gave up all: He reserved nothing. All was burnt, all consumed, upon the altar.” (Jukes, Law of the Offerings, pp 63-64).

I kneel before Thy throne each day

Never knowing what first to say.

Then I remember what my soul foremost needs

Is my heartfelt devotion to only Thee.

My thoughts, my words, my earthly deeds

I consecrate as a memorial in prayer to Thee.

I spread my heart before Thy feet,

As the sacrificial lamb I come to see.

I see You smile, I hear You say:

You are in my heart today.

The sacrifice was mine to give,

Your soul I purchased that you might live.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Lamb by Stephen Sawyer)

KNOWING HIM

 

When Moses ascended Mt Sinai for the second time, Jehovah descended in a cloud before him and passing by him, He proclaimed:

“ The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”  (Exodus 34:6,7)

This is so significant. This was not someone stroking his ego by listing His amazing qualities. This is a proclamation of someone who knows who He is and what His purpose is. Take notice of the attributes and qualities the Saviour listed: mercy, grace, longsuffering, goodness, truth, forgiveness….these are all qualities that benefit the human family. The proclamation was and still is: “I am your God and I am here to save you.”

But make no mistake, He is also a judge, as he indicates at the end of His statement, and He seeks accountability for the sins we commit and pass on to our children for generations to come. In other words, He is also a God of power, truth and justice. There is no fault in Him, only balance.

Moses wrote down how Jehovah described himself and no doubt He shared that description with the Hebrews he presided over because it was imperative that they knew who the source of their salvation was and what He was like.

“We live in a day of restoration when we know that God exists. However, the knowledge of his existence is only preliminary to our knowing his characteristics and attributes. When the challenges and traumas of life arise – and they are a natural part of this mortal experience – though we know there is a God, the issue will depend more critically on what He is like.

“The questions in those difficult times will center on whether I can depend on and trust in Him implicitly. Does He, for instance, have knowledge and power sufficient to save me? And for that matter, does he have the mercy and desire to do so?” (Jerry A. Wilson, “The Great Plan of Happiness – Insights From The Lectures on Faith” p 27)

Some years ago I determined that I would get to know what the Saviour is like through the Book of Mormon. I noted all His attributes and qualities I could see in the margins of my book. Mercy was the most prevalent attribute and it was just about on every page. I don’t know where I would be today if I didn’t know that He would be merciful towards my blunders, my imperfections and my humanity.

 

Aside from the scriptures, our convictions of who the Saviour is and what He is like, born from personal interactions with the spirit would have to be our greatest knowledge. Consider this tender image President Heber C. Kimball had of God:

 

“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. (“Journal of Discourses” 4:222)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Jesus Loves Me by Chris Brazelton)

 

THE WAITING ROOM

 

“God can provide miracles instantaneously, but sooner or later we learn that the times and seasons of our mortal journey are His and His alone to direct. He administers that calendar to every one of us individually. For every infirm man healed instantly, as he waits to enter the Pool of Bethesda, someone else will spend 40 years in the desert waiting to enter the promised land.

“For every Nephi and Lehi divinely protected by an encircling flame of fire for their faith, we have an Abinadi burned at a stake of flaming fire for his. And we remember that the same Elijah who in an instant called down fire from heaven to bear witness against the priests of Baal is the same Elijah who endured a period when there was no rain for years…one’s life cannot be both faith-filled and stress-free. It simply will not work…..

“Christianity is comforting, but it is often not comfortable. The path to holiness and happiness here and hereafter is a long and sometimes rocky one. It takes time and tenacity to walk it…..

“The point is that faith means trusting God in good times and bad, even if that includes some suffering until we see His arm revealed in our behalf. That can be difficult in our modern world when many have come to believe that the highest good in life is to avoid all suffering, that no one should ever anguish over anything. But that belief will never lead us to “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

-          Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Waiting On the Lord” GC October 2020

 

You tell me I must

stay and conquer

Like You conquered

Your turbulent sea;

I understand,

But oh how I long to see

The shores of eternity.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Deep Calls to Deep by Aeron Brown)

RICHES

 

Your truth pierces my soul

And binds me to Your loving heart.

Your teaching moments

Find my hungry mind

And feed me like a bird in flight

Searching for a morsel

That gladdens its hungry heart.

Your mysteries are laid at my feet

And I, when I come home, will be

Clutching these riches that are mine to keep.

- CATRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)

 

TO REMEMBER HIM

 

I love symbolism in the Old Testament. Reading about the ritualistic administration of the priesthood in the wilderness of the Israelites’ journey toward the promised land convinces me how essential that was to keep them focused on the God who led them because every minute detail was highly symbolic of Him. Consider just a few such symbols:

-          EPHOD: sacred garment akin to an apron that was worn by the high priest had gold settings on each shoulder where onyx stones engraved with the names of 12 tribes of Israel were placed. These stones fastened the ephod on the priest’s shoulders symbolizing that he as a representative of the Lord, carried Israel on his shoulders (see Exodus 28:12);

-          THE BREASTPLATE: made of fabric and attached to the ephod with golden chains and fasteners, it served as a pocket in which were placed precious stones inscribed with the names of each of the tribes of Israel. “Thus, the high priest bore ‘the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart….for a memorial before the Lord continually’ (ibid v 29).

-          THE GOLDEN DIADEM AND THE MITRE: The mitre (or hat) was made of fine linen and each priest wore one. The high priest wore a golden band on the front of his mitre on the forehead. Engraved on the band were the words “Holiness to the Lord” (ibid v 36-38)

-          THE ALTAR OF INCENSE: “Hot coals were placed on the altar and each morning and evening the high priest would burn incense. This ritual seems to signify that one can approach the presence of God only through prayer, for scriptures elsewhere indicate that incense is a symbol of prayer” (see Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4; Psalm 141:2; The Old Testament Student Manual Book 1 p 153)

We also have a place designated which symbolically points to the foundation of our salvation. It also reminds us that holiness belongs to the Lord and that He leads us to OUR promised land. The more we can enter its doors the more symbolism of the power of His salvation will become imbedded in our minds and hearts.

Consider this privilege that the rest of the world has no access to. Our temples are beacons of hope, knowledge and endowment of His grace for His spiritually begotten children, the ‘apple of His eye’ (Deut 32:9,10), the rubies in His diadem (Exodus 28:17-21; Malachi 3:17; D&C 60:4; 101:3)….His people Israel.

How great our God of Israel

Who carries us on His shoulders

And in His godly heart;

We are the rubies in His diadem

We are Israel, children of light.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Holy One of Israel by LDS Art)

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

 

I used to skim over the four chapters of highly detailed instructions given to Moses regarding the building of the tabernacle and priestly robes during Israel’s journeying. I didn’t think it was so relevant to us in our day. I was amazed though at the workmanship required of ancient Israel and wondered how did they know how to accomplish what was commanded them to do without highly skilled labour. This is what happens when you skim…..you miss something important.

Last time we studied the Old Testament I read the abovementioned chapters in depth and I was given not only understanding but an insight I was sorry I had missed in the years past. After four chapters of explicit instructions, Jehovah tells Moses the names of the men and what tribe they are in Israel’s congregation that can do the work needed and adds that HE has ‘filled’ them with wisdom and knowledge and understanding ‘in all manner of workmanship……that they may make all that He has commanded’ (Exodus 31:1-6).

No doubt these men were inspired from birth to have an interest in specific skills that were needed for an important work they would one day do. Such is the wisdom, power and foreknowledge of our God.

This has made me reflect on two things. Firstly, God’s house is a house of order. We are all born in appointed time that is best suited for what we can achieve in this life: “When we say God has a plan, he truly has a plan – not simply a grand scale, but for each of us as individuals, allocating some special talent to this dispensation and some to another.

“I regard God as the perfect personnel manager, even though He must work with and through all of us who are so imperfect. I assume, gladly, that in the allocation to America of remarkable leaders like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln, the Lord was just as careful. After all, if you’ve got only one Abraham Lincoln, you’d better put him in that part of history when he’s most needed….” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Deposition of a Disciple”, p 46)

Secondly, we who are of the house of Israel, particularly us Ephraimites who are responsible for blessing the nations of the earth with the truth, are harnessed with the Saviour in the work of salvation. Like Esther of old who saved her people from extinction, we were born ‘for such a time as this’ (Esther 4:14).

And like the ancient men of Israel’s camp, we have been imbued with wisdom, understanding and knowledge to achieve what is expected of us. In God’s great wisdom He has reserved His most valiant, the strongest, the most dependable servants to be born when evil abounds upon the earth in unequalled measure. We are the ones who can withstand the onslaught and who have covenanted long before this earth began that we would uphold the ensign of truth and proclaim to the earth that the God of our fathers is with us still.

Do you know how important you are in ‘such a time as this’???

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Jehovah Shalom by LDS Art)

GUIDING LIGHT

Should the stars fall

from heaven,

And the sun refuse

to give its light;

Should the earth become

the darkest night,

You will ever be

My only guiding light.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Guiding Light by Annie Henrie Nader)

 

CHOICES

 

My life is a bag of choices I dare to make,

A dream of perfection eluding me still.

I grope in darkness

Hoping my choices are pleasing to Thee;

And when I leave this weak and mortal shell

And kneel on hallowed ground at Thy feet,

Then will I cry, my Lord and my God,

Forgive my reckless sins a thousand tears deep.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Divine Faith by Greg Collins)

GOD'S WISDOM

 

The value of the Ten Commandments cannot be overstated. I have heard it said in the Church that the Commandments were given us for our protection and I cannot agree more. The commandments are our most valuable asset in this life and the second is our moral agency to choose to obey. If it wasn’t for our agency we would be subject to this world of sin and corruption and would naturally cleave to evil.

Consider the pull of sin and how devastating it is to our spiritual well-being:

“Whoever said that sin was not fun? Whoever claimed that Lucifer was not handsome, persuasive, easy, and friendly? Sin is attractive and desirable. Transgression wears elegant gowns and sparkling apparel. It is highly perfumed; it has attractive features, and a soft voice.

“It is found in educated circles and sophisticated groups. It provides sweet and comfortable luxuries. Sin is easy and has a big company of pleasant companions. It promises immunity from restrictions and temporary freedoms. It can momentarily satisfy hunger, thirst, desire, urges, passions, wants, without immediately paying the price. But, it begins tiny and grows to monumental proportions – drop by drop, inch by inch.”

-          President Spencer W. Kimball, “Faith Precedes The Miracle” p 229)

“It is true that the great principle of repentance is always available, but for the wicked and rebellious there are serious reservations to this statement. For instance, sin is intensely habit-forming and sometimes moves men to the tragic point of no return…As the transgressor moves deeper and deeper in his sin, and the error is entrenched more deeply and the will to change is weakened, it becomes increasingly near-hopeless, and he skids down and down until either he does not want to climb back or he has lost the power to do so.”

-          President Spencer W. Kimball, “The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969] p 117)

We fought for our spiritual freedom in pre-mortal life (Rev 12:7-11; Moses 4:1-4). It is interesting to observe the world today and see how we have convoluted the meaning of this principle. It is most obvious in the way people are not willing to obey the laws of the land. The cry seems to be, “I have my rights, I can do whatever I want”. This is the world’s definition of freedom.  Pride is corrupting us as we reject correction from any source and insist on a ‘me’ society. This is Satan’s doctrine and his path to eventual destruction.

The Ten Commandments are as relative today as they were when they were first given and never more needed than today. They not only offer personal freedom but they also bring order to a society. I cannot look at one and think it is not needed. Our obedience to them brings honour, self-respect and spiritual strength beyond our own. The wisdom of our God is beyond understanding. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Keep My Commandments by B. Laura Wilson)

ARMS OF FAITH

 

Some days, Father, I cannot bear,

The absence of Your touch.

I cannot wait for Your embrace

That I have missed so very much.

 

In this abyss of worldly darkness

I stumble but I fall into the arms of Him

Who lifts me higher than I can go.

 

I fly to You, Father, on my wings of faith,

I sail through stormy skies,

Seeking for Thy face.

Look Father, no hands!

Only trust in these strong arms

Of my Saviour’s loving grace.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Arms of Faith by Yongsung Kim)

A GODLY PRIVILEGE

 

“I know of a great man who held his dead son in his arms, and said, “In the name of Jesus Christ and by the power and authority of the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood, I command you to live.” And the dead boy opened his eyes.

“This great brother could not have possibly done that had he been looking at a pornographic piece of material a few nights before or if he had been involved in any other transgression of that kind. The priesthood has to have a pure conduit to operate.” (Elder Vaugh Featherstone, in CR April 1975, 100; or Ensign May 1975, 66)

Such is the power of the priesthood which demands utmost obedience from the men whose privilege it is to have it.

When Moses ascended Mt Sainai for the second time to intercede for Israel’s sin of breaking the covenant they entered into, he was given another set of plates which contained the same thing, with one exception.  The Lord told him: “And I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables, save the words of the everlasting covenant of the holy priesthood…..” (JST Deut 10:2)

Israel was forgiven and given another chance to live the law but the everlasting covenant of the priesthood was denied to the congregation because of their wickedness. But there was mercy, always mercy from the merciful Jehovah, and the Levitical law and priesthood was given to Aaron for the benefit of the House of Israel (“Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith”, p 60)  

Consider these powers of the priesthood to better understand the relative worthiness that is required:

“We have power to govern all things, both temporal and spiritual, both the kingdoms of the world, and the elements and storms and powers of the earth: “For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that everyone being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;

“To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.” (JST Gen 14:30-31; Bruce R. McConkie, “The Ten Blessings of the Priesthood” GC October 1977)

And here is the origin of the everlasting covenant of the priesthood which “was made between three personages before the organisation of the earth, and relates to the dispensation of things to men on the earth; these personages, according to Abraham’s record, are called God the first, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer, and God the third, the witness or Testator”. (“Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith”, p 190)

I am in no way an expert on this subject but I am in awe of the priesthood, the backbone of the Plan of Salvation: its origin and its power of creation, eternal life and resurrection. Such power in the hands of man…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: My Father's Work by Chris Brazelton)

SEEKING HIS FACE

 

I lift and I float in this vast

Universal space,

Seeking and hoping to see Your face.

Angels are near me,

They beckon and call

Ensuring I find a soft place to fall.

 

I fly in night’s dreams above

The earth below,

Seeking my heavenly home.

I think I am high but really I am low.

You meet me at dawn,

In sacred prayer we have often met,

I hear You say:

My Beloved, it is not time yet.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

TO SEE HIS FACE

 

“We have the power – and it is our privilege – so to live, that becoming pure in heart, we shall see the face of God while we yet dwell as mortals in a world of sin and sorrow. This is the crowning blessing of mortality. It is offered by that God who is no respecter of persons to all the faithful in his kingdom.” (Bruce R. McConkie, In CR Oct 1977, p 52 or Ensign Nov 1977 p 34)

“We read that Abraham talked with God face to face, and he also talked with Enoch and others. The modern world, however, will have none of it and have rejected the living God for one who cannot be seen or heard. (Joseph Fielding Smith, “Answers to Gospel Questions”, 2:162-63)

The question of whether we can see God in this life would have to be one of the biggest contradictions in the scriptures, Chapter 33 of Exodus being the biggest. Verse 11 states that “the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend” yet verse 20 contradicts this by stating: “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” Also, Exodus 24:9-11 states that Moses and seventy of the elders of Israel saw God.

This contradiction is a classic example of mistranslation or “more likely due to the fact that a translator in more recent years did not believe that God was a Personage and therefore could not be seen. This notion has come down to us since the introduction of the Athanasian Creed in 325 A.D.” (Old Testament Student Manual Book 1 p 142)

Thankfully, Joseph Smith made many corrections to such conflicting scriptures adding clarification such as: “And no man hath seen God at any time, except he hath borne record of the Son….” (JST John 1:19) and, “No man hath seen God at any time, except them who believe….Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God….(John 6:45-46).

So a person who has seen God has to be one who believes, has to be of God and has to bear witness of such. Joseph Smith comes to mind here.

So now that we know who CAN see God, it’s important we know who CAN’T. Genesis 33:20 states that whosoever sees Him would not be able to live. Obviously that is a reference to those who do not meet the criteria for such a privilege.  And this is why:

“Christ is a glorified celestial being, and the glory of such beings is comparable to that of the sun (see D&C 76:70). The presence of Christ when He comes in His glory will be as a consuming fire. The mountains will flow down at His presence, the elements will melt with fervent heat, and the waters will boil. Even the sun will hide its face in shame (see Hebrews 12:29; D&C 133:40-44,49) (Doctrine & Covenants Student Manual p 61)

“Incident to the commencement of the millennial era, the earth will be burned. Every corruptible thing will be consumed (D&C 101:24); all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be burned as stubble (Malachi 4:1; D&C 29:9; 63:34; 64:23-25; 133:63-64); and there will be an entire separation of the righteous and the wicked (D&C 63:54).” (Bruce R. McConkie, “Mormon Doctrine” p 494)

I once had a reader question Joseph Smith’s claim that He saw God the Father and the Son. She reasoned Joseph would have been burnt alive if he truly saw such celestial beings. In my opinion, Joseph qualified to abide their glory as sure as Moses and Abraham.

It is only those who are not worthy to see God that would be consumed, even as those who will be so at Christ’s coming…..while the righteous will be transfigured to withstand His glory (see Journal of Discourses, 16:328). It’s a startling choice isn’t it? To be burnt alive or to be privileged to see the face of the Son of God. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

THE LAW OF OBEDIENCE

 

I have heard it said that the most important of the Ten Commandments is the one you are struggling with the most. There is a lot of wisdom in that. In reality though, there are only two real commandments because they underlie all others.

The Saviour was asked during His earthly ministry which is the greatest of all the commandments. The Saviour replied: to love God and to love your neighbour….on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40). If we obeyed these two commandments, there would be no need for any other and here is why:

“Any person who truly understands the implications for daily living that are part of the commandment to love God with all his heart, might, mind, and strength and to love his neighbour as himself, can function well with no additional laws. One does not need to warn a person who loves God properly about idolatry, for any act of worship not devoted to God would be naturally offensive to him.

“The prohibitions against stealing, adultery, murder, and so on are not required if a person truly loves his neighbour as himself, for to injure his neighbour in such ways would be unthinkable. But, of course, the vast majority of men fail to understand and keep these two commandments, and so the Lord has revealed many additional laws and rules to show specifically what the commandments require……. all such commandmnets do nothing more than define and support the two basic principles: all the law and the prophets are summarized in the two great commandments.”  (The Old Testament Student Manul p 186)

Moses spent 40 days on Mt Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments. Before he went he entered the children of Israel into a covenant of obedience. The covenant bound God to support, defend, and save them and the people were bound to God to fear, love, and serve him.

This covenant was written in the book of the covenant, a sacrifice was offered, half the blood was sprinkled on the people and the other half on the altar. The covenant was binding when the people proclaimed: “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:1-7).

You can only imagine the outrage Moses felt when he descended the mountain 40 days later to find the Israelites breaking the very first command by worshipping a golden calf. It is no wonder he broke the tablets of stone containing the commandments written by the finger of the Lord (Exodus 32:19).

Historians have speculated why the people turned away from the covenant so quickly. There is no scriptural explanation for this or Aaron’s seemingly unobjected fulfilment of the camp’s request for other gods to worship (ibid v 1-5). Their idolatry was a metaphorical ‘return’ to Egypt by worshipping an Egyptian highly revered idol of a cow but their greatest sin was giving the golden calf credit for bringing them out of Egypt (ibid v 4).

The Israelites paid a heavy price for breaking the covenant. Jehovah’s punishment caused 3,000 men to be slain (ibid v 27,28). Aaron also was nearly destroyed and was saved only through Moses’ intercession in his behalf (see Deuteronomy 9:20).

And Moses? He proved he truly was a prototype of Christ. He returned to the Lord and begged for Israel’s forgiveness, and if the forgiveness was not granted, he asked the Lord to blot out his name from the book of the covenant instead as intercession for the people’s sin (ibid v 31,32). The weight this man carried on his shoulders is astounding. But not nearly as heavy as the weight of the God of Israel.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

 

STAY FOREVER

 

“The Lord Jesus Christ extends to each of us the invitation to abide in Him. But how do we actually learn and come to abide in Him?

“The word abide denotes remaining fixed or stable and enduring without yielding. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained that “abiding as an action means ‘to stay’ – but to stay forever. That is the call of the gospel message to…..everyone…in the world. Come, but come to remain. Come with conviction and endurance. Come permanently, for your sake and the sake of all the generations who must follow you.”

“Thus, we abide in Christ as we are firm and steadfast in our devotion to the Redeemer and His holy purposes, in times both good and bad.”

-          Elder David A. Bednar, “Abide in Me and I in You; Therefore Walk With Me” Liahona May 2023

 

I know You are watching me

From the shadow of Your love,

Hoping I will remember You

And our celestial home above.

 

I see You beckoning

For me to rise majestic and tall

But my path is unsteady beneath me

And I seek a soft place to fall.

 

Angels are around me,

They whisper and they mourn

Spreading their wings to catch me

Wanting to take me home.

 

I want to go with them

I am tired and all alone

I yearn to feel the comfort

Of that everlasting home.

 

Yet I don’t know if I am ready,

If I have given my very all,

So I can join You in Your shadow,

The safest place to fall.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: In the Shadow of Your Wings by Daniel Gerhartz)

THE LIVING WORD

 

“For the gospel to be written in your heart, you need to know what it is and grow to understand it more fully. That means you will study it. When I say study, I mean something more than reading. For conversion you should care more about the amount of time you spend in the scriptures than about the amount you read in that time.

“I see you sometimes reading a few verses, stopping to ponder them, carefully reading the verses again, and as you think about what they mean, praying for understanding, asking questions in your mind, waiting for spiritual impressions, and writing down the impressions and insights that come so you can remember and learn more.

“Studying in this way….you will be giving place in your heart for the word of God, and He will be speaking to you. Remember Alma’s description of what it feels like: “It beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.”

“You will know that the gospel is being written in your heart, that your conversion is happening, as the word of the Lord from His prophets, past and present, feels more and more delicious to your soul.”

-          Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “When Thou Art Converted” April 2004 GC

I add my testimony to that of Alma and Elder Christofferson. I began to study the scriptures in earnest 30 years ago during the darkest time of my life. They became my lifeline……I would get lost for an hour or more every day as I pondered, searched and savoured how delicious those words became to my soul…..and in them I found more than I expected. I found the Saviour.  

In the Old Testament I saw the merciful Jehovah; in the New Testament I saw the loving Saviour; in the Book of Mormon I saw the promised Messiah; in the Doctrine and Covenants I saw the majestic Christ and in the Pearl of Great Price I saw the pre-mortal promise of salvation. I saw the whole of Him.

The scriptures are still my lifeline. It’s the place I go to whenever I want to hear Him speak……

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 read Your living word

And I am comforted

Knowing nothing is lost.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Hosanna to God and the Lamb by LDS Art)