SACRIFICE OF THE HEART

 

The Compassionate Christ by Greg Sargent

“Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” (Psalms 50:3-5)

Psalm 50 reads more like a revelatory instruction to Jehovah’s saints than a song of praise. It accentuates thanksgiving and praise of God above the animal sacrifices of the day. Psalm 51 goes further to explain that the sacrifice God wants from us is that of a ‘broken and contrite heart’ (vs 15-17).

Psalm 51 was written by King David following that fateful visit of Nathan the prophet who exposed David’s sin with Bath-Sheeba. It is one of the most heart wrenching story of the Old Testament. After giving David a touching story of a poor man’s lamb being taken away by a rich man to sacrifice for a single meal of a traveller, David was outraged and claimed that the rich man needs to be put to death but Nathan simply replied ‘thou art the man’ and outlined the seriousness of what David had done despite all the blessings he had received at God’s hand (see 2 Samuel 12:1-14). It humbled David to the dust.

The word (Hebrew root dkh) translated as “contrite” means “to crush”, therefore, “a broken or contrite heart or spirit is one that is crushed, smashed, broken to pieces…The symbolism of our smashing or breaking or crushing our hard, wilful heart into pieces and offering the result to God is significant, because a smashed heart no longer exists in a recognizable or retrievable form….It is at this point that the Lord can replace our now broken, offered heart with a new one” (see Ezekiel 36:26). (Dana M. Pike, “3 Nephi 9:19-20: The Offering of a Broken Heart” in Third Nephi: An Incomparable Scripture)

I think David understood this principle well when he pleaded with God: “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:9,10)

When the Saviour comes to judge His people, He will require the spirit of repentance from us. Placing our sins on the altar of sacrifice is the ultimate we can give and if our hearts are pure and sincere, forgiveness will be HIS to give and He will be glorified for the salvation of our souls.

Before the birth of Christ, animal sacrifice was required in expectation of His sacrifice. The sacrifice of Christ fulfilled this requirement and in itself denotes a broken and contrite heart offered in the Garden through His submission and humility and upon the cross through His willingness of  extreme suffering. How little is asked of us in comparison to the greatest sacrifice of all!

I gave you my all:

My heart, my body, my soul.

I paved the way

And conquered death.

Come and take my hand;

Eat and do not hunger,

Drink and do not thirst.

I am in your midst;

I am the only,

I am the last,

And I am the first.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

THE MEDIATOR

 

Advocate With the Father by LDS Bookstore

“Each of us lives on a kind of spiritual credit. One day the account will be closed, a settlement demanded. However casually we may view it now, when that day comes and the foreclosure is imminent, we will look around in restless agony for someone, anyone, to help us….

“Unless there is a mediator, unless we have a friend, the full weight of justice untampered, unsympathetic, must, positively must, fall on us. The full recompense for every transgression, however minor or however deep, will be exacted from us to the uttermost farthing.

“But know this: Truth, glorious trust, proclaims there is such a Mediator. ‘For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus’  (1 Timothy 2:5). Through Him mercy can be fully extended to each of us without offending the eternal law of justice. This truth is the very root of Christian doctrine.”

-          Boyd K. Packer, “The Mediator”  General Conference April 1977

 

Like a bird in flight

My sins ascend to Thee;

Rising from the ashes of mortality,

They seek Thy love to set them free.

- Cathryne Allen 

HE WHO KNOWS ME BEST

 

By His Wounds by Chris Brazelton

The greatest surprise of this stage of my life, as I struggle with bad health, is how it has affected me mentally and how I have responded to it. I never knew its effects would be so far and wide. As I have looked back over my life, I had to admit to myself that I didn’t know beforehand how I would react to anything I have experienced in my life.

Sometimes we think we know ourselves but we really don’t. I have noticed the push in our society is to invest ourselves in achieving this very thing….we are told it’s the greatest thing we can do. Experience, however, seems to do that with great proficiency.  This is why we are here.  

I had a very unusual experience which I wrote about recently. I was musing about my life, which is happening more often than ever before as I approach the last leg of my journey here. As I was reflecting, I found myself in my mind in front of the great Judge, God the Father. He asked me three questions: How did you enjoy your mortal probation? What do you think you learnt from it? How do you think you did overall?

An understanding like no other flooded my being 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. Every time I opened my mouth, nothing would come out. I knew with every fibre of my being that He knew the answer to every question before I could form it in my mind.

I felt like I was transparent before Him. 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 else who saw into the very depths of my soul during the greatest moment of suffering known to man. He who absorbed the totality of my life could and would answer all the questions the Father would have of my conduct on Judgment Day: my intentions, my achievements, my failings. He, the Advocate who suffered for my soul would with His strength make up for my frailty (D&C 45:4-5). 

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 the 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.

Often You come into my mind

And I wonder about my ‘enoughs’:

Did I go to Church enough?

Did I serve enough?

Have I done enough?

 

I see you in my heart smiling

And I know….

What will matter in the end the most

Is not what I have done

But what I have become.

 

I follow in Your footsteps

And try to be like Thee

But often fail because of weakness

that is in me.

 

Your blood flows from Calvary still

And I hear You say:

It is enough, I will make up the rest,

I accept Your holy quest!

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

CONDITIONAL LOVE

 

There is a dangerous philosophy that we often hear in the Church and that is that God’s love is unconditional. The danger of the word ‘unconditional’ gives us a mistaken belief that we can do whatever we want and we will still be loved and accepted by God hence no need for restrictions and commandments as repeated offences against God will be excused. (see President Russell M. Nelson’s “Divine Love” Ensign, Feb 2003, and Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “Abide In My Love” GC Oct 2016)

This is where the philosophy of ‘unconditional love’ began: “During the last several decades, a heresy regarding God’s love has surfaced. The heresy states that God’s love is unconditional. The heresy first started with humanist psychologists who invented the term. Unconditional love, they taught, is the love parents ought to have for their children.  Eventually, the term was adopted into Christian dialogue to describe God’s love. This is a classic example of mingling the philosophies of men with scripture. This has been true even within the dialogue of the Church. And this is why President Nelson wrote his article.” (Bruce Satterfield, Gospel Doctrine Lesson 44: God Is Love, Nov 2, 2015)

I recently came to understand this philosophy on a deeper level and it is this: there is an important component of God’s love that makes ‘unconditional love’ an impossibility and that is mercy.

I know of someone in the Church who believes that all of God’s children will in the end live with Him again because of His mercy. And this is the problem…. When we believe that God’s love is unconditional, we not only think we can get away with anything, we also believe because He loves us, He will be merciful when the time comes.

If God’s love encompasses mercy and if His love was unconditional then mercy would have to be extended to the unrepentant on Judgment Day and that can never be because of three reasons: 1. Mercy cannot rob justice (Alma 42:25); 2. No unclean thing can enter the Kingdom of Heaven (3 Nephi 27:19); and 3. We cannot be saved in our sins (Alma 11:37).

The third reason seems the most important because it has to do with the Plan of Salvation. If God saved us in our sins, we would not be prepared for eternal life and exaltation. We would not have developed godly attributes that come only through repentance. If God showed mercy to the unrepentant and saved them in their sins, this would negate the purpose of the Plan of Salvation and ultimately His love which put that Plan into effect.

The more righteous we are, the more love we can receive and ultimately, more mercy. Mercy has to be our over-riding goal, a goal bigger than love because it is mercy that will save us in the end. It is mercy that will sanctify us and lift us out of our probationary state of imperfection to the Saviour’s status of perfectness to be co-heirs with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven. This is what He suffered for, this is what He died for.

This is love. God is not the Father of spoilt children. He is the Father of eternal joy and happiness, not short-term indulgence. If we really want to be loved, we will strive to be the children He intends us to be.

“….whose keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected….” (1 John 2:5)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Lord is Good by Chris Brazelton)

THE ADVOCATE

 

“We must always seek to be on the Lord’s side; but what good news it is to know that HE IS ON OUR SIDE.

“His powerful advocacy in our behalf is not limited to pleading our case before the Father, for “your advocate…knoweth the weakness of man and how to succor them who are tempted” (D&C 62:1).  It is the advocate’s role to present our case in its most favourable light, refuting the challenges of the adversary who opposes us and who presents our case in its worst possible light.

“Even in our thoughts about ourselves, we must resist the adversary’s attempts to convince us of our worthlessness by interpreting our life circumstances in a negative light; rather let us listen to him who knows our weaknesses fully yet believes in us more than we may believe in ourselves. What glorious news, not only that the greatest advocate of all is willing to represent those who are guilty, but also that he will take OUR case!

“I am the first and the last; I am your advocate with the Father….Therefore, lift up your heads and rejoice….Let the hearts of all my people rejoice.”  (D&C 110:4-6)”

-          Elder Bruce C. Hafen, “The Belonging Heart”, p 155

This should be the most comforting knowledge we could possibly have, especially for those of us who are hard on ourselves; and on those who have been damaged by life in some way and cannot lift their view of themselves onto higher ground. Know that, if not in this life, then in the next, we will be cleansed of all our sorrows and all the damage we have suffered at the hands of others will be washed away to make room for our eternal joy.

“And I John saw the holy city…and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people…and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.

“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things new……I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:2-6)

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Our Advocate by Jay Bryant Ward)

UNBREAKABLE CONNECTION

 

There is a certain connection we have with God which surpasses even our freedom of choice and it is this: thoughts. Consider these scriptures:

·       He knows every single thing that comes into our mind (Ezekiel 11:5);

·       He sees every thought of men’s hearts (Genesis 6:5);

·       There is nothing that He doesn’t know (2 Nephi 9:20);

·       Only God knows our thoughts and intents of our hearts (Helaman 9:41; D&C 6:16)

·       Thoughts, words and works will condemn us on judgment day (Alma 12:14)

·       God knows our thoughts which lead to wickedness of the heart (Jacob 1:4-6)

This is the first danger of unworthy thoughts: “Yes, as a man thinketh, so does he. If he thinks it long enough, he is likely to do it, whether it be theft, moral sin, or suicide. Thus the time to protect against the calamity is when the thought begins to shape itself. Destroy the seed and the plant will never grow. (President Spencer W. Kimball, “Miracle of Forgiveness”, pp 113-4).

And this is the second danger: “Every man and every person who lives in this world wields an influence, whether for good or for evil. It is not what he says alone; it is not alone what he does. It is what he is. Every man, every person radiates what he or she really is…It is what we are and what we radiate that affects the people around us.

“As individuals, we must think nobler thoughts. We must not encourage vile thoughts or low aspirations. We shall radiate them if we do. If we think noble thoughts; if we encourage and cherish noble aspirations, there will be that radiation when we meet people, especially when we associate with them.” (President David O. McKay, “Man May Know for Himself”, p 108; see also 2 Nephi 13:9)

And here is the hope: President Kimball also said that “man alone, of all creatures of earth, can change his thought pattern and become the architect of his destiny” (ref as above)

And here is a formula that we could relate to: “When temptation comes, you can invent a delete key in your mind….your mind is in charge; your body is the instrument of your mind. When some unworthy thought pushes into your mind, replace it with your delete key.” (President Boyd K. Packer, “Prayer and Promptings”, Ensign Nov 2009, 46)

And here is the greatest reason why, with a holy promise: “….let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God….” (D&C 121:45)

On judgment day we will want to stand pure in body and mind in front of Him who is the purest of us all and who knows all things….

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Christ by David Beraru)

THE ADVOCATE

 

When man goes before the ‘judgment bar’ and faces God, ‘the Judge of all’ we will each need a ‘defense attorney’ (2 Nephi 33:15; Alma 11:44; Hebrews 12:23). Being this ‘defense attorney’ is one of the Saviour’s roles we should understand and revere the most. It is the role of the Advocate.

When we stand before the Great Judge, we will be accused of being imperfect and unworthy to enter God’s presence because “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The Saviour will stand beside us as our Advocate to plead for mercy for us but with a huge difference.

In an earthly judicial system, the defense lawyer pleads the cause on the basis that the client is innocent. In the case of eternal judgment, this is an impossibility because God knows everything, therefore, he knows that there is no innocence in any of us. When the Saviour steps forward to plead our case, He will not be pointing to our lack of guilt; rather He will be bringing the Father’s attention to His own righteousness and sinless state. This is the difference. This will be the plea:

“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 who 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 45:3-5; Hebrews 7:25; D&C 38:4; 110:4).

This is parental love, this is utmost protection, this is unfathomable sacrifice of a Father for His spiritually begotten children. Consider this story:

“On more than one occasion, a devoted mother pleaded with Abraham Lincoln for the life of a son who had committed a serious offense while serving in the Union forces. Often, touched by that mother’s own sacrifice for her country, Lincoln granted the pardon. Perhaps he thought, “Not for your sons’s sake, but for your sake I will pardon him”.

“Likewise, God the Father must have been deeply moved by the incomparable sacrifice of the Saviour. Like the mother who pleaded for the life of her son, the Saviour pleads for the spiritual lives of His spiritual children.” (Tad R. Callister, “The Infinite Atonement”, p 326)

Imagine the indescribable sorrow of standing before the judgment bar of God with no one to protect you and to plead for mercy for your eternal welfare and existence. Imagine standing there all alone, belonging to no one. This need never be if we just believe on His name and accept His path to salvation. He is our hope, He is the way, the truth, the life.

 

Like a bird in flight

My sins ascend to Thee;

Rising from the ashes of mortality,

They seek Thy love to set them free.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Son of Man by Chris Brazelton)

GRATITUDE BEYOND MEASURE

 

 

I imagined this morning during my reverie, how I would feel seeing the Saviour at the completion of my earthly life. I saw myself bowing before Him in my mind and an immense magnitude of His Atonement flooded my soul. I wept with gratitude at the understanding that I did not really know the impact this life would have on me before I was born, even though I was so supportive of The Plan…..but now I understand.

I have been what you would call a ‘good girl’ my whole life. I have never committed a ‘big’ sin of any kind but I am very aware of my ‘lesser’ sins, of every unworthy thought, feeling and action that might have been offensive to God. In other words, the natural man I am experiencing here.

Whilst bowing before the Saviour in my mind, all the earthly scars of my experience flooded me and I really and truly understood the impact the Atonement will have on my life on Judgment Day….how it will cover all my un-godlike behaviours and wipe away all my embarrassments and godly sorrow I have because of them.

I understood so well the blessing of the sanctification process I will go through. And all because of the suffering of one man who will step before me on Judgment Day to answer for my sins. This is the power of mediation, the power of intercession, the power of advocacy of a God who volunteered to save my soul.

I bow now and will bow always before the magnitude of such power and love…..all glory be His now and forever and ever…..

 

With what heavy steps

You approached the garden’s gate!

You suffered, You atoned,

You hung lifeless on the cross,

As you met Your appointed fate.

 

I waited for my turn on earth

And watched with angels

Your rise from the darkened tomb

That could not contain

The magnitude of You.

 

I saw Your glory that shone so bright

Defeating death and making all anew

And I wept for the greatness of hope

That rose with You.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Encircled In The Arms of His Love by Eva Koleva Timothy)

EVEN AS I

 

 

Towards the end of His visit the Saviour commanded the Nephites to record all their doings because out of the books that are written shall the people be judged ‘for by them all their works will be known unto men’ (3 Nephi 27:25).

He also mentioned that the Father likewise keeps a record of all our doings and the whole world will be judged by that which He has caused to be written (v 26).

The idea of being judged seems to bring up a negative connotation of fear as we reflect on all our failings and short comings. Rarely do we look forward to it because we want to be excited about our good works and good character coming before the Father….to bring Him joy……but this is exactly what the pursuit of our lives should be.

The Saviour himself said to the Nephites as He parted from them, that His joy was great, ‘even unto fulness’ and that ‘even the Father rejoiced and all the holy angels’, because none of that generation was lost (v 30,31). Our salvation is their joy and I surmise this is what they look forward to experiencing on Judgment Day…..and there is a reason for their hope.

The Saviour asked the Nephites a crucial question in connection with the judgment we will one day face: “Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be?” and then He answered: “Verily, I say unto you, even as I am” (v 27). Elder John M. Madsen of the Seventy had this to say about this answer:

“The meaning of the word OUGHT, as used in His question….is crucial to understanding His answer, “Even as I am”. The word OUGHT means ‘to be necessary’ or ‘to be held or bound in duty or moral obligation’…….., suggesting and the holy scriptures, ancient and modern, confirm – that it is ‘necessary’ and that we are ‘bound’, as by covenant, ‘to be’, as He declared, ‘even as I am’ (3 N 27:27; see also 3 N 12:48; Matt 5:48; 1 John 3:2; Moroni 7:48)” (in CR April 2002, Eternal Life Through Jesus Christ).

Being like the One ‘who, being in the form of God, took upon himself the form of a servant, and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient unto death’ assures us of a joyful judgment because He is the blue print, He is the map, He is the way….’wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father’ (Philippians 2:6-11).

We are bound to Him by covenant and He to us by the cross: “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands….” (Isaiah 49:16).

 

I sorrowed for Your pain

As You entered the Garden’s gate.

I sorrowed for it

As You hung on Calvary’s cross.

Now that our hearts beat as one,

I rejoice my soul will never to be lost. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Then Sings My Soul by LDS Art)

GLORIOUS GRACE

 

 

This will forever be my remembrance of Paul: “By the grace of God, I am what I am….(1 Corinthians 15:10). This is the humility of Paul, the greatest missionary to the Gentiles, the apostle of Jesus Christ, who considered himself not good enough to be called an apostle because he once persecuted the Church of God (v9), but who later became the most he could possibly become by the grace of God. There is no greater sign of humility than acknowledging the greater power and giving honour to His name. It is something Nephi, who gave us the greatest definition of grace, did repeatedly: “…..it is by grace we are saved after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23).

 

When we are judged and found short of perfection, it is grace that will lift us the rest of the way to a full reconciliation with the Father. However, grace is not just a magic wand of perfection on judgment day. It has another role, that Paul so valiantly testified of. It is the role of strength beyond our own affecting change in us here and now. This, I believe, is what Nephi also meant. Elder Holland affirmed this: “The grace of God helps us every day. It strengthens us to do good works we could not do on our own. The Lord promised that if we humble ourselves before Him and have faith in Him, His grace will help us overcome all our personal weaknesses (Ether 12:27), (Jeffrey R Holland, The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Ensign March 2008). 

 

Grace enables the power of Jesus Christ to make of us something far greater than what we  were before. Through actively calling upon the power of the Atonement, we can access this power and rise above the natural man. And here is the good news: grace is a gift that does not need to be earned. It is freely given to all who accept Christ as their personal Saviour. 

 

Imagine if we came home being much greater than what we were before we started on this journey. I know of no greater way we could pay honour to the Saviour’s name. As Paul, we could then say, ‘His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain’ (1 Corinthians 15:10). And not only that but this also……’by the grace of God, I am what I am’…….

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: His Grace is Sufficient by Greg Collins)

HOW GREAT THE JOY

 

 

 

I have moved house 16 times in the past 28 years. Wherever I go in Sydney, I am met with memories. Over the years, I have suffered much from lack of ‘belonging’. As I reflected recently on the lone existence I have led, I realised that no matter where I live on this earth, I will always feel that I don’t belong. In that moment of realisation, my understanding was opened to a greater truth. I came to comprehend what it means to live in a fallen world, that to be cut off from God’s presence is the greatest tragedy there is. Cain considered his banishment from His presence more than he could bear (Genesis 4:13,14). I am beginning to understand what he meant, now more than ever as I have distanced myself from the world a great deal and have begun to yearn for my heavenly home. We, like the ancients, are strangers and pilgrims on this earth (D&C 45:11-13; Jacob 7:26; Hebrews 11:4-13). A clear reminder to us that we should not get too comfortable here. 

 

During my moment of reflection I also understood the need for the Atonement. I think the Saviour knew in the beginning what it means to be cut off from Father’s presence forever. I think this is why He yearned to save us from this devastation, hence so much emphasis on the sheep that are ‘lost’. A couple of years ago I had a revelation during which I was led to know that the Father loves His First Born Son the most because of what He has done for the rest of His children. Rightly so, because nobody deserves it more. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, I can now yearn for the eternal home and all the noble host of heaven I have left behind knowing that He has paved my way back.

 

How many tears will be shed on judgment day by ‘the lost’ when God’s presence is denied to them forever? Imagine how joyful will be some who enter His presence, to finally be home once again….but how much more joyful will be those who get there and bring somebody else with them…..(D&C 18:15,16)

 

I long to be where I once was,

 

A child in my eternal home.

 

I long to see the God of love

 

And with Him walk the heaven’s floor.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art by Greg Olsen)