THE VEIL

 

I stood at the veil

As You were about to leave

Sorrowing that not all would believe.

 

I prayed for Father’s power

To protect Your gentle heart

From the blow that might tear You apart.

 

I knew my soul You would save

And all Your promises You would fulfil.

I stood at the veil, unable to leave,

Holding Your crown for You to receive.

 

I stood and waited that fateful day

In awe of what You did to pave the way.

I could scarcely comprehend

Your godly enduring might

I stood at the veil and gave You my heart.

 

-      CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)

OUR PURPOSE

 

Jehovah Creates the Earth by Walter Rane

All suffering and all endurance of this life denotes the very purpose of God, to exalt his children. All that is asked of us, our sacrifices, our suffering, our difficulties, our development and our progression is God’s work and His glory, “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:7). The next level of our purpose in life is to become gods ourselves.

This is a hard doctrine for many people to believe that mere man can rise to such stature. I once wrote on Facebook that God’s purpose is to exalt His children to godhood and enraged one reader who claimed there is only one God and ever will be and therefore we are a Church of blasphemy. The funny thing is, deep down in us are seeds of the very idea. I have been watching a lot of AI generated historical periods. The Roman Empire in particular is a very interesting time. Everybody it seemed was vying for the position of pharaoh even though the risk of being murdered was exceptionally high. The most interesting thing is that many pharaohs proclaimed themselves to be gods.

When Moses encountered God on Mt Sinai, God showed him all the worlds He had made and Moses was astonished and proclaimed: “Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed” (Moses 1:10). Having been raised in an Egyptian court, Moses was trained to believe there is none greater than the Pharoah….until he saw God and what He can do and by this he concluded that man is nothing. God then repeated the vision of all His works to ensure that Moses understood the purpose of all His creations was to exalt His children (Moses 1:7).

To rise to such heights as godhood, the price has to be paid. The Saviour has paved the way but He could not make us godly. Only we can do that by accepting all the tutoring that God will give and all that we will give in return.

We are told that: 1. we must be chastened and tried, even as Abraham was, who was commanded to offer up his only son and if we will not endure chastening but deny God, we cannot be sanctified (D&C 101:4-5); and 2. We will be proven in all things even unto death by abiding in His covenant (D&C 98:12-15).

“This seems like such a high standard. Why must one be tested and chastened before he can be sanctified? Why can a person not be worthy of God unless he is willing to abide in the covenant even to death? To understand these questions and to gain greater insight into why Abraham had to prove himself, think in the eternal perspective for a moment. Imagine the disastrous consequences of making a person a god who was not perfect in every respect.

“How would the universe survive if it were controlled by a god who could not withstand even intense pressure? Where would we be now if our God had not been disposed to endure the suffering of seeing His Only Begotten Son go to the cross? If Abraham had failed his test, he would have lost his position.

“If God the Father had failed the same test there would have been no Atonement and all mankind would have “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….to be shut out from the presence of our God.” (2 Nephi 9:8-9)

-          (Old Testament Student Manual, Genesis – 2 Samuel, p 79)

In other words, we must give our all for God to give His all…..the bar is high but help is near and the eternal in us yearns to be more than this mortal sphere can give us. The Saviour made sure our purpose has an eternal destination.

 

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?

As death would claim me for eternity.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

COMPELLING MORTALITY

 

I read recently Elder Hafen’s rational explanation of the necessity of mortality from a vantage point I had never seen before. I was reading about the value of ‘the veil’ in his book, “The Believing Heart”, with my mouth open. He answered so logically the question many of us have asked at one stage or another: why would a loving Father devise a plan of free experience in mortality knowing that many of His children would never come back to Him? Could there not have been another way?

To me ‘the veil’ was something we lived behind in order to be tested through faith but there is so much more to this principle. It’s a matter of knowledge. Elder Hafen explains that there are two different kinds of knowledge. One involves gathering information and the other is about skill development. One is intellectual and the other is practical. You can guess which category mortality falls into. Consider this example of the importance of that:

“Imagine an innovative music school with a revolutionary approach, in which the piano students did not have to practice. The school would teach in a purely theoretical way all the rudiments; describe in detail how to move one’s fingers; go deeply into music theory and history; teach thoroughly how to read music. The students would memorize all the best books that have ever been written on how to play the piano. The course could last for four years.

“The students would each have a project, such as memorizing the score of a major piano concerto. They would be able to close their eyes and see the manuscript for both piano and orchestra flow through their minds – they could tell you everything about it. Then, when the first graduate of the “Do It Without Practice Piano Course” walks onto the stage of Carnegie Hall to perform his debut with the orchestra, what do you suppose will happen? Not much. Why?  Even though ‘thinking’ is an essential element in any form of learning, some things can be learned only by practice.”  (“The Believing Heart” p 43)

Having been through the process of qualifying for godhood, the intellectual knowledge is something Heavenly Father could give us in pre-mortal life but He could not give us the knowledge that comes through experience. No intellectual formula He could give us could produce the reality of godhood without the experience of the process. It is experience that yields skill and godly attributes.

And here is the crowning glory of this principle: “We must do all within our power, but the final achievement of celestial capacity comes ultimately through the bestowal of divine endowments…..”for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23)….”for by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ” (Moroni 10:32) (ibid p 50)

FATHER TO HIS CHILD:

Long ago, when you lived in my arms

You wanted to fly in the vast expanse of the skies.

I gifted you wings, and promised

I would teach you to fly.

Just remember, I am here but

It is your turn now, not mine,

To rise.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Jesus of Nazareth by John Zamudio)

A PATH TO HEAVEN

 

I walked a mile with pleasure

She chatted all the way;

But left me none the wiser

For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with sorrow

And ne’er a word said she;

But oh! The things I learnt from her

When sorrow walked with me.

-     Robert Browning Hamilton

 

I know not of any greater godly attribute than that of humility that this world of sorrow affords all those who travel its paths.

For a long time I have tried to unravel the enigma of the severity of this life’s suffering and the purpose thereof. I couldn’t understand why suffering affords godhood. Surely, there would have to be another way. I know, I have written about this more than once recently but I have finally received understanding that makes sense to me more than any other explanation and insight I have received concerning this subject.

I believe in this poem. My eyes have been opened to it. As I contemplated this morning I could plainly see that sorrow has taught me lessons that happiness never has. Sorrow has the power to induce humility which makes us teachable. I understood that the opposite would be the detrimental and spirit corroding attribute of pride.

A god could never be an entity full of pride. Pride seeks to elevate self at the expense of demeaning others. Pride is grounded in control. Control denies free will and seeks only self interest and elevation of one above the rest.

The Saviour excelled in humility when He sought the salvation of others to bring them to the station that He himself has. There was not an ounce of pride inside Him when He volunteered to be the way to the elevation of all the host of heaven, at His excruciating expense. The path has been provided but the price of learning has still to be paid, by each one of us.

Humility is crucial in our rise to exaltation. A god in the making needs its teaching power. King Benjamin defined this process in his address by saying that if we ‘humble ourselves in the depths of humility’ we will be: 1. filled with the love of God; 2. retain a remission of our sins; 3. grow in the knowledge of the glory of God; and 4. we will love our fellowman (Mosiah 4:10-12). Which one of these would not be needed in our rise to godhood?

If humility leads us to godhood, we can only imagine where pride leads…..we have a good example of that…..let us not follow there…..

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Divine Faith by Greg Collins)

THE PLAN

 

“In the theology of the restored church of Jesus Christ, the purpose of mortal life is to prepare us to realize our destiny as sons and daughters of God – to become like Him….. through the Atonement of the Only Begotten of the Father, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ” (President Dallin H. Oaks, “Apostasy and Restoration”, Ensign May 1995, 86-87).

Even though the Doctrine and Covenants describes our latter-day theology of our ultimate destiny, it does not give it a name. The Book of Mormon, on the other hand, refers to it by many names among which is the name we use in the Church, “the plan of salvation” (Jarom 1:2; Alma 24:14, 42:5).

Among other names given in the Book of Mormon are these: “the merciful plan of the great Creator (2 Nephi 9:6); the plan of our God (2 Nephi 9:13); “the great and eternal plan (2 Nephi 11:5); “the great plan of the Eternal God (Alma 34:9); “the plan of happiness (Alma 42:8,16). The “plan of redemption” appears fifteen times in the Book of Mormon. You could write books about this subject.

We are told one of the reasons we are here is to learn lessons through mortality that we could not otherwise learn while we were spirits, that mortality alone can propel us into further progression in our quest for godhood. I have come to see throughout my life that through opposition and conflict one truly does need a body to overcome and learn resistance, wisdom, and most importantly the process of cause and effect, in other words, consequences that come through exercise of free will.

I have a fourteen-year-old grand-daughter who claims she is old enough to make her own informed decisions. If only she could see that her brain is still so under-developed she can’t grasp life at all. Later she will learn that obeying parents when you are young trains you for higher obedience to God when you are an adult.

We are so eager for the adventure called life when we are young but we tend to miss many lessons when we need them most. And some of those we miss tend to repeat themselves a few times until we get it, thanks to God’s mercy. I marvel how merciful, tolerant and forgiving He is towards our humanity. Where would we be without Him?

When Moses encountered God on Mount Sinai, God revealed Himself to him and Moses saw the glory of God and every particle of this earth and all the children of men (Moses 1:8,27) that have ever been created. The vision of God's power was overwhelming to a man who grew up in an Egyptian court believing that Pharoah was god and there was none greater than him so he exclaimed that now he could see that man is nothing (v 10).

God, however, didn't want Moses to miss the point so He showed him the same vision again and He ended it with the sum of what we call The Plan of Salvation: “For behold, this  is my work and my glory – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39)….because Moses, among all of God’s creations, none are greater than man, man is everything.

The lessons of my life flowed like a river

Winding through days, months and years;

I rescued a few but missed so many

From the currents as I saw them passing;

They drowned in the daze of my ignorance,

Unwanted and ignored but yet abiding.

I fish them now from the pool of my memory

And give them life everlasting.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Moses by Greg Sargent)

NOT BY WORKS

 

Over the years of my Church membership I have heard some strong Church members say: “I will never make it”. This is not just absence of confidence in self. This says that some of us believe in Christ but we do not believe in what He says He can do for us.

If we are living the Gospel to the best of our ability and say that we will never make it, then we are denying the power of the Atonement and Christ’s suffering in our behalf. We are essentially saying that He died for nothing. This is a sin. This also suggests that some of us do not adequately understand the Atonement, therefore we don’t really believe it and consequently we don’t readily use it.  This proves my point:

“In its September 1, 1980 issue, “Newsweek” magazine carried a story entitled “What Mormons Believe”…....and summarized our understanding of the Atonement in these words: “Unlike orthodox Christians, Mormons believe that men are born free of sin and earn their way to godhood by the proper exercise of free will, rather than through the grace of Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus’ suffering and death in the Mormon view were brotherly acts of compassion, but they do not atone for the sins of others.” (Bruce C. Hafen, “The Broken Heart”, p 2)

Elder Hafen went on to say that the writer of this magazine article reported that despite his thorough research into Mormon scripture and theology, he based his report on how the Church members that were interviewed understood the doctrine and how they genuinely infused it into their lives. I sure hope that we have come a long way since 1980 in projecting to the world what we believe, know and live by. I hope that we believe that the grace of Christ saves us and not our meagre efforts that constantly leave us short.

I do get Nephi who said we are saved by grace after all we can do (2 Nephi 25:23) but I do think that some of us have focused too much on ‘all that we can do’ and not enough on Christ’s grace which has atoned for all our weaknesses, inadequacies, un-intentional and intentional sins and most of all for the weakness of mortality which none of us can rise above on our own.

Yes, it is important that we expend all our efforts in the exercise of our free will which enables us to develop and earn godly attributes without which we cannot rise to godhood but I do believe that we should more fully focus on another of Nephi’s scriptures in which he states: “….it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved” (2 Nephi 10:24).

It is difficult to understand how the Atonement was performed but we can come to understand aspects of it that are applicable to our salvation. The more we study about it, the more the wonder of it will instill itself into our souls and our appreciation of it will grow to the point where we can say: “By the grace of God, I am what I am…..and because of Him I am going to make it” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

 

If you were not,

I would not be,

Silence would have wept at Calvary!

 

If you were not,

I would not be,

As death would claim me eternally.

 

If you were not,

I would not be,

Joyless would be my destiny.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Forgiven by Russ Docken)

HEAVEN'S BLESSING

 

 

“If the power of the priesthood were not upon the earth, the adversary would have the freedom to roam and reign without restraint. There would be no gift of the Holy Ghost to direct and enlighten us; no prophets to speak in the name of the Lord; no temples where we could make sacred, eternal covenants, no authority to bless or baptize, to heal or comfort. Without the power of the priesthood, ‘the whole earth would be utterly wasted’. There would be no light, no hope – only darkness.”

-        Elder Robert D. Hales, “Blessings of the Priesthood”, GC October 1995

I am grateful for the Plan of Salvation and for the order which has existed from the beginning for its execution here in mortality. I am grateful for God’s sons who have since the days of Adam ensured the continuation of the blessing of the holy priesthood from the Father and His Son.

Imagine if the world we were required to live in was cloaked in darkness. Imagine if everything the priesthood makes possible was taken from the earth. What would be the point of being here?

Going back in time, if there was no priesthood, there would not have been creation at the hands of the Son of Man of Holiness, no Atonement, no salvation. Our growth would have been impeded forever.

I look at the power in the Son of God on the cross. Besides the fact that He was half immortal, He was endowed with strength that is in every man which gives him the potential of achieving godhood. And not only the strength, the Saviour had amazing courage and commitment and willingness to endure suffering on behalf of another. Going back in time again, there were no women volunteering for the experience of the cross.

This courage and strength is inherent in all men for what married man on earth does not feel the responsibility and willingness to protect his wife and children? I ache to see men emasculated in our society and their importance and worth somewhat unappreciated.

I pay homage to the sons of God who take their responsibility upon this earth now and eternally with unwavering commitment. Being created in the image of the Man of Holiness, the Father, the Eternal, and having an example before them like His Beloved Son, they stood loyally by God and by Jesus in their first estate and did not flinch.

“If you had flinched, then you would not be here with the Priesthood upon you. The evidence that you were loyal, that you were true, and that you did not waver is to be found in the fact that you have received the Gospel – and the everlasting Priesthood.”

-        George Q. Cannon, azquotes.com

Men, you are strong and brave and true…..we need you!

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: The Saviour by Tina Lecour)

BEING WEAK PART 2

 

Some months ago I wrote a post about total dependence on Christ. One woman was outraged. She said I was ‘making’ people reliant on someone they can’t even see. She also said she doesn’t need to depend on anyone because she is strong enough to do anything herself.  

 

Consider the greatest reason for putting us in the condition of weakness in mortality: "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble" (Ether 12:27). The Saviour then proceeds to say that if we humble ourselves before Him, meaning if we come to Him with a realisation that we need His help, He will grant us strength through His grace to overcome our weaknesses.

 

The weak state of mortality is designed to humble us and strip us of pride. It is designed that way so that we will come to Christ for our salvation.  And so that we will become like Him, devoid of pride.

 

We cannot become gods even with the least degree of pride in us. Consider a god without humility. It means He would be full of pride instead. Pride seeks to elevate the one above the others.

 

If God the Father was full of pride, He would not seek to elevate His children to His station so that they could possess all the riches of eternity that He Himself has. If He was full of pride, He would seek to keep it all to himself because pride only takes care of oneself.

 

The status and power of godhood cannot endure if it is contained by one person. The role of a god is to ‘bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man’ (Moses 1:39). That’s the ultimate power that no one else but a god can have. Without exalting his children to the status of godhood, God would fail to be a god.

 

This is where Satan misunderstood what it means to be a god. Consider his pride when he volunteered to save us. His intent was to do so by exalting himself whilst Christ’s intent was to exalt others. Christ’s exaltation began in the hour of His humility when He said: “Here am I, send me” (Abraham 3:27).

 

If you exalt yourself in this life through pride, you cannot be exalted on high. Salvation and exaltation comes through humility (Matt 24:12; D&C 101:42; 112:3; 124:114; Alma 4:12,13). Our hour of exaltation begins when we become like the Saviour, devoid of pride. The first step in that direction is our climb to the top of the hill of Calvary……

 

I carried my cross to the foot of Calvary,

While you carried yours to the top.

I cried bitter tears over the injustices of my life,

While you bled valiantly for all that was lost.

I carried my hurts like a badge

So scornfully proud and spiritually poor,

While you rose to the heights of your exalted throne;

Perfected, ennobled and infinitely more.

You are so high

And I am so low;

I consent to climb to Calvary’s top,

I consent to be lifted to Thy throne.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: In Humility by Greg Collins)

GOODLY PARENTS

 

The most famous scripture in the Book of Mormon would have to be the very first verse and the most famous words would have to be this: “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents….” (1 Nephi 1:1). This phrase has become the standard of parental excellence in the Church because it suggests to us that the greatness of Nephi was due to his parents’ parenting skills. This is, however, not entirely true.

As we read further, we come to read the entire truth….”therefore, I was taught SOMEWHAT in all the learning of my father……” (1 Nephi 1:1).  It is clear by this word that Nephi did not give his parents all the credit for who he became. The dictionary defines ‘somewhat’ as: to some extent or in some measure or degree. What Nephi is clearly saying here is that his ‘great knowledge of the goodness and mysteries of God’ (v 1) was as much, if not more, a product of his own effort than that of his parents. This is evident early on in his record through the cited personal and extensive tutoring he received from an angel when he inquired about the meaning of his father’s dream of the tree of life (1 Nephi 11-14). In fact, it can be seen throughout Nephi’s entire life as he demonstrated how willingly and conscientiously he took responsibility for his own salvation.

It is human nature that we as parents beat ourselves up when we have wayward children feeling that we have somehow failed. I have been there myself. When my daughter chose a different path in life to the one that she was reared to follow, a friend said to me: “You are being trained for godhood.” And I think he was right. I am certain of it when I reflect on Heavenly Father’s respect for our free agency, and His mercy and His grace. These traits can most certainly be acquired during our role as parents and they are essential for those who would be gods. There are no more perfect parents than our heavenly parents and yet they have lost a third of their children due to the principle of free agency. Consider a lesson closer to home. Try as they may, Lehi and Sariah did not succeed in keeping all of their children on the straight and narrow. This means that, if you are a parent, no matter how many parenting courses you take, how much patience you exercise, how many tears you shed, how much love you give, you are at a risk of losing a child.

I will not elaborate on parents’ responsibility in parenting here. My intent is to make parents of wayward children know that there is hope through the mercies of the God that we love and worship; a God who honours righteous parents and holds their fragile hearts in the palm of His hands;  a God who sorrows over our wayward children as much as we do; a God who has suffered for their disobedience and destructive choices; a God who desires to save each and every one of us; a God who will not forsake those whom we love and yearn to have back in the fold; a God of mercy; a God of forgiveness; a God of love. This is the assurance: “Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold….Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold onto them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.” (Joseph Smith, as quoted by Orson F. Whitney, “Hope for Parents of Wayward Children”, in Conference Report, April 1929, p 110.

One day when Your tears cease to fall

For the ones that go astray

And You reach for them from Your throne

Your power to display;

I will praise

I will rejoice

I will join the heavenly throng in song

For the return of the lost

For whom You suffered for so long. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Nephi And the Tree of Life by Katie Payne)

AN UNDERSTANDING GOD

 

I often joke that we are operating here in this telestial life on an intelligence level called ‘stupidity’. I am often amazed at the blunders and messes we make even amongst the most intelligent of us, hence the world’s terrible shape. When I study the scriptures, I am marvel at the simplicity with which the Lord speaks to us, how He relates to us on our level of understanding. I would imagine His method of communication would be far superior to our own yet He, a god,  speaks to us as if He is one of us. I stand in awe of His understanding of our capacities and His ensuing compassion. No doubt this is evident in our personal revelation as well. I have had answers to prayer that have been rather unusual yet very suitable to the way my brain works and the way I process information. I am certain nobody else would understand them. This to me is an assurance of how well the Saviour knows us personally; what we are capable and ready to receive; our capacity to act and our limitations as we live by faith. 

 

The Godhead under whose supervision we exist is our greatest saving grace:  

- The Father because He has created us and nurtured us in the beginning and knows the nature of our spirits to the utmost, He knows the outcome of our lives because He knows our inclinations and the level of our obedience the most. I am convinced He knows me better than I know myself;

- The Saviour who has experiential knowledge of my life and my soul which enables His mercy to be extended to me and therefore knows how to aid me and most importantly, to mediate and intercede with the Father on my behalf; 

- The Holy Ghost who touches my heart and whispers to my soul. I feel bonded to him in immense gratitude for His administration to my spirit. His presence in my life often reduces me to tears. 

 The path of faith is rich, exquisite and priceless….far above any treasures of this earth. There are so many of us yet in Godhead’s eyes, we are only one. We matter. We are of immense worth because we are of royal birth; kings, queens, priests and priestesses of royal courts above, we are far more than this world can ever see in us: the glorious, the eternal, the supernal.

You see me Father, despite heaven’s vast expanse,

You hear the burning beat of my heart

Amidst the numberless host of heaven.

You cherish me 

More than the stars that encircle thy throne;

Thy greatness is endless,

Thy power sublime.

In my appointed hour,

Carry me home

In the strength of Thy loving arms.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Godhood by Danny Hahlbohm)

EVERLASTING HAPPINESS

 

In my reading of the BOM this morning I came across an interesting scripture where Mormon reiterates that Jesus has brought to pass the redemption of the world which can bring us into the presence of God to enjoy ‘everlasting happiness’ (Mormon 7:7). I have always believed we would have everlasting happiness in the Kingdom of God but have at times wondered how that can be for those who become gods and continue to have children forever, knowing the mental anguish and sorrow children can cause.  

 

We know that even in pre-existence we, as children, caused the Father anguish and sorrow because one of His children of great promise, who was in authority in the presence of God, who was called ‘son of the morning’, rebelled against Him and caused a third of His children to become the sons of perdition (D&C 76:25-27). So great was he that the heavens wept over him. I cannot imagine the anguish and sorrow of our heavenly parents to lose such a child of promise, let alone a third of their children, knowing they will live forever in outer darkness.  When Enoch had his encounter with God, he witnessed Him weeping over His creations because of their wickedness (Moses 7:28). So we know that God experiences sadness and anguish as well as happiness in his godly state. 

 

There is hope though……In Doctrine & Covenants 18:15, we are told if we bring even one soul to Christ, that great shall be our joy in the kingdom of the Father. If our joy will be great, imagine the Father’s joy to see the return of many of His children. Losing a third of your children is devastating but retaining two thirds means hope of great joy. I hope we,  who have accepted His plan of salvation and who are now experiencing our second estate,  can make up for those who have rejected Him by honouring the trust and hope He has in us. May we have the desire in our hearts to bring Him joy and be a delight in His hand. I am certain that He who was and is a perfect Son of all His sons, who was ‘in His bosom’ from the beginning (D&C 76:25) makes up double fold for the son He has lost. May we follow in His footsteps to do the will of the Father in all things that His joy in us might be magnified and in some measure make up for the sorrow for those who are lost.

Grant me the hope Father

In this darkness

That I will one day see Your light;

And spare me Father the afflictions

Of my lonely heart.

Bear me up as on eagles’ wings

And carry me into

Thy benevolent embrace

That we might never again part

But instead bask in the union

Of our celestial hearts. 

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Joy by Yongsung Kim)

THE GIFT OF SACRIFICE

 

I mulled over the principle of sacrifice this Christmas. I am not sure why but perhaps my thoughts were ignited by my daughter who is far from the Gospel path pursuing a life that leaves me confounded. I would easily lay down my life if it would bring her back to God. And so the principle of sacrifice has made me realise an important truth.

 

It has become clear to me that the parental bond is strong within us so that it would motivate us to continuously sacrifice ourselves for our children, but for a very important reason. Basically, we are here on this earth for three reasons: 1. To gain a body; 2. To be tested and; 3. To become like Christ and thus become co-heirs with Him in the kingdom of God. It is this third reason that is in my mind connected to the principle of sacrifice. Self-sacrifice is central to Christ’s character, therefore, it stands to reason that we need to follow this path in order to become like Him. Thus sacrifice is a gift of immense proportions. What the Saviour achieved in His momentous death, we have the opportunity to emulate in the entire course of our lives through our children. The self-sacrifice we invest ourselves in is a similitude of the Saviour’s sacrifice for us. It is significant to note that because of His sacrifice, He has become our spiritually begotten ‘father’…..hence accentuating the parental bond that unites us through the medium of sacrifice. 

 

And here is another important thought: our children more often than not do not recognise or appreciate our sacrifices for them. Often it becomes an act of appreciation when they are adults and parents themselves but even then, not always. This too is a similitude of Christ’s sacrifice for us. Many people don’t appreciate His sacrifice, or they reject it, and even deny it, as atheists do. Some of our children do the same with us,  even defiantly pointing out that they didn’t ‘ask us’ to do so, that it was more or less our parental duty.  The difference in regards to the Saviour’s sacrifice is this: we DID ask Him to sacrifice himself for us long before this earth began. The minute we sustained Him as our Saviour and Redeemer, our sustaining vote became a plea. His birth, his death and everything in between was a sacrifice of an exemplary path to godhood. May we honour the God of our salvation and lay upon the altar our sacrifice alongside His. 

 

Did You count me amongst Your valuable host

As we met in the councils of heaven?

Did I stand strong and ready to defend Your godship;

To smite the enemy,

To secure Your path to my eternity?

Was I brave and willing to carry the cross

Some of the way to Calvary?

Did I weep with You in the garden

And held You as You bore the burdens of mortality?

Did I wipe the sweat of Your brow

As I wept for You and weep even now?

Did I promise to bear Your name

Etched in my mortal heart for all to see?

Am I now worthy to carry Your sacrifice

With me into eternity?

- CATHRNE ALLEN 

THE HUMBLE GOD

 

Through my study of the scriptures I have counted 18 of Christ’s characteristics, the most prominent of which for me, had been ones of power and mercy. I recently came to understand one of His virtues which I had not paid much attention to before, the virtue of humility.

 

This is the scripture which made me reflect on the extraordinary nature of His character as a God: “Therefore, I command you to build a house unto me, for the gathering together of my saints, that they may WORSHIP ME” (D&C 115:8). Can you imagine the amount of humility it would require to say such a thing for a God of perfect attributes and devoid of pride? It would have to be someone who knows perfectly who he is, is confident in that knowledge and most of all, has a purity of spirit and heart. Compare this to Lucifer’s desire to be worshipped (Moses 4:1-4).

 

It amazes me that someone so powerful who calls himself ‘the king of heaven’ (2 N 10:14), who can create worlds and annihilate them by the power of His word (Helaman 12:9-17; D&C 63:4) can be so humble. Until now I have only seen Christ’s power in His self-declarations but have overlooked the humility. 

 

This is why this is important for us: Christ’s humility made it possible for Him to condescend to be born to a lowly life: in a stable, a carpenter, willing to be subjected to ridicule and unacceptance. You might say he experienced mortal life at ‘ground zero’. And in doing so he ‘descended below all things that he might comprehend all things’ (D&C 88:6). What things? Our difficulties, our sorrows, our sins, our imperfections, our sufferings, our inabilities, our mortal weakness. The added bonus was access to our individual lives through the Atonement where He learnt what it was like to be you and me.

 

Imagine a God leaving His exalted throne and all that comes with it, to be rejected, spat upon, scourged, reviled and crucified. Imagine the humility it would take to subject yourself to all that, despite the power within your grasp. Embrace the beating of your cherished heart, you were worth it. 

 

Did your angels miss You

When you left Your glorious throne?

Did their voices echo in the lowly stable

When you were so humbly born?

Did they weep for you

When you had to suffer alone?

Will they rejoice at Your return

And sound their trumps

To herald their joy?

And will they praise You forever

As you reclaim Your exalted throne?

- Cathryne Allen