WALK WITH ME

 

In the 12 months of my illness and solitude, I have learnt how very important the Church is. I have suffered much isolation as I have been confined to my home. I didn’t expect the members of my ward to grace my doors every week but in this day and age when technology makes it so easy, I was not prepared for lack of contact I experienced, even from my Ward leaders.

I didn’t want to feel forgotten.  On days when I felt that even God had forsaken me, it would have mattered so much to be told that I was still remembered.

I get it, everyone is busy and dealing with their own stressful lives so thinking about others is difficult but there never has been a time of this earth where people did not live under duress of some sort and yet the call to become a Zion people has always been there.

This is my conclusion. We will never, never, never become a Zion people if we continue on this path of self-absorption and neglect of one another. Most people in the Church think the Saviour has not come because the world is not wicked enough. In reality, He will not come until we are a Zion people (see D&C 105:9-12 on how long the Lord will wait to redeem Zion and Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual commentary for these scriptures)

When the Saviour said to Enoch, “walk with Me”, He said it for this very purpose (Moses 6:34). And Enoch walked with God (v 39) and he established the city called Zion (v 18). Note, however, that this happened amidst the greatest distress for Enoch and his people as ‘from that time forth there were wars and bloodshed among the people’ and their enemies and giants of the land came to battle against them (Moses 7:13,15,16). Even so, the people of Enoch survived and still managed to establish Zion because ‘the Lord came and dwelt with them’ (v 16).

There is another who was told ‘walk with me’, with the promise that if he did, he would be perfect, and that was Abraham (Genesis 17:1). From the time he was called out of Haran, Abraham was in pursuit of the city of Zion (Hebrews 11:8-10).

“But how could he seek it if it was gone from the earth? Latter-day scripture also describes an order of priesthood available in Abraham’s day that could actually give mortals access to that translated city. According to Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis….”the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch”….for men having this faith, coming up to this order of God, .were translated and taken up into heaven (JST Gen. 14:27,32).” (E. Douglas Clark, “The Blessings of Abraham – Becoming a Zion People, p 92)

Abraham did walk with God and he became the protector, the teacher and servant of all the people he associated with. There is an endearing story in Midrash, a Jewish interpretation of biblical texts, that tells of Abraham’s concern and care of his fellowmen. It tells of Abraham sitting outside his tent one day in the heat of the day on the plains of Mamre with the breath of hell whirling the heat and the dust and the sand. He was worried thinking that there was some stranger out there lost in that dust storm so he sent his servant Eleazer out to look in all directions but Eleazer came back and said he couldn’t find anyone.

Abraham was still worried so he went out into that hell himself though he was very sick following his circumcision at such an old age (Genesis 17:24) but he found no one. Upon his return there were three strangers at his tent. It was the Lord with two others. Abraham threw himself down on his face in obeisance and it was then that he was given the promise of Isaac…..as a reward for what he had done. Abraham found someone more significant in that dust storm than he had ever imagined….he found his son Isaac.  (see Genesis 18 and “The Faith of an Observer – Conversations with Hugh Nibley, pp 28-29)

“….Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” (James 2:23). A friend is someone who walks and talks and keeps company with you. May we all do so and become not only a friend to God but to each other. Until then we will not love one another as He had loved us.....

- CATHRYNE ALLEN  

MINISTERING ANGEL

 

 

When the Saviour granted John’s wish to remain on earth until the Second Coming, He said He would make him ‘a ministering angel’ for the heirs of salvation who live on the earth (D&C 7:6).

I have often wondered what form of service that ministering would take and then I discovered something which has had a far wider influence in the world than anything else The Beloved could have done in person:

“Five of the books of the Bible were written by John: the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the book of Revelation. The world’s most widely distributed book is the Bible, portions of which have been translated into 2,233 languages as of 2000. It has been estimated that between 1815 and 1999 some 3.88 billion Bibles were printed (see Guinness World Records 2002, p 138). Certainly, John’s written prophecy has gone forth among the nations” (Doctrine & Covenants Student Manual, p 17).

The Bible is the best-selling book in the world, with an estimated 5 billion copies sold so far. Imagine what John the Beloved has done and continues to do for Christianity throughout the world. His writing continues to influence, uplift, inspire and teach Christians everywhere.

A couple of years ago I had a sister in the Church comment on one of my posts telling me that I should stop preaching to the choir and get out to teach the unconverted. I reminded her that even the choir needs converting from time to time.

It gives me comfort that John’s writing ministers for ‘the heirs of salvation’. I consider myself one of those heirs having accepted Christ as my Saviour and Redeemer. I can tell you that I need to be comforted, inspired and taught by the word of God just as much as those who are yet not converted.

The word of God does not discriminate between the children of God. We are all equally in need of spiritual nourishment. I find that in the scriptures. I don’t know where I would be if the prophets and scribes of old did not keep records of prophecies and accounts of inspiring events and men and women of valour.

I could go on and on about the importance and purpose of scriptures. They that are given by inspiration from God make us wise unto salvation, they are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:15,16, JST 16a). But I suspect you know all this because you are the converted……

This, however, is what I consider John’s ministering amounting to: “…..the scriptures shall be given, even as they are in my own bosom, to the salvation of mine own elect. For they will hear my voice, and shall see me, and shall not be asleep; and shall abide the day of my coming; for they shall be purified, even as I am pure.” (D&C 35:20,21).

Who are the elect? They are the heirs of salvation, they are those who know Christ, they are those who love Him and obey Him, they are the ones who will be saved and they are the ones who are preparing for His appearing.

I am certain this was the Beloved’s intent every time he sat down to write. I am certain he wanted to bring to us the Christ that he knew and loved…..to bolster our faith, to keep us believing and hoping, to help us look forward to that day when He shall come in His glory to gather us in the arms of His love….to save us….to take us home.

Cherish the scriptures, feast upon the words of Christ and feel ministered to……

Daily I stand in my holy place

As I feast upon Thy word,

Ever hopeful I will meet You there,

Thy Spirit to embrace

And the cares of this world to arrest.

I reach for You in darkness

And step up to heaven’s door;

I am bathed in light

And am granted entrance to Your heart.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Uplift the World by Eva Koleva Timothy)

MINISTERING

Have you ever wondered why the two greatest commandments are to first to love God and second to love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:37-40)? It is obvious that we need to love God so that this love would motivate us to obey his commandments and thus set ourselves on the course to eternal life. It is equally obvious that we need to love others so that we could become like Christ, once again to set us on the course to eternal life. There is a good reason however why these two commandments stand side by side. Consider President Benson's take on this: "The world largely ignores the first and great commandment - to love God - but talks a lot about loving their brother....But only those who know and love God can best love and serve his children, for only God fully understands his children and knows what is best for their welfare. Therefore, one needs to be in tune with God to best help his children...If you desire to help your fellowmen the most, then you must put the first commandment first. When we fail to put the love of God first, we are easily deceived by crafty men who profess a great love of humanity" (Ezra Taft Benson, CR Oct 1967, p 35)

We live in a world of political correctness where the philosophy of kindness has replaced the importance of religion and a God centered life. One such example is the teachings of Dalai Lama whose popularity and influence has grown exponentially over the recent years:
"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness." (Dalai Lama)
It is not my wish to disparage any religion here but rather to elevate the importance of placing God in our lives first so that we can better serve and love one another. Kindness is well and good and obviously necessary but it is not the tool by which we can help change lives and alleviate someone's suffering by bringing them to the fountain of all healing which is Christ. Kindness is just the beginning.

I noticed through my years of being a single mother that I and the other single mothers I have known have had a different response to the same situation we found ourselves in. Why is that? Because we are all unique with different capabilities, understanding and strengths of character. Well did Dr Seus say that 'there is no one youer than you'. From this period of my life I have concluded that nobody can support and sustain me better than God Himself. And here is the important part of this. God the Father understands and knows us best not only because He knew us long before we were embodied in mortality but because of the Atonement of His Son who has felt, experienced and gained first hand insight into every being that has ever lived and ever will walk the face of this earth. I had a priesthood blessing recently in which I was told that the Father knew all that I was experiencing in my present situation because the Saviour Himself has told Him so. This is a pretty powerful foundation for one's faith in God and his watchful providence.

If we want to be under-shepherds ministering to one another as the Saviour himself would do, we need to pay close attention to what He has to tell us about those that we serve. For one simple reason: there is no depths of pain that He hasn't suffered; there is no extent of sorrow that He hasn't felt; there is no degree of difficulty that He hasn't experienced. The depths of all human suffering is known to Him and Him alone. He is the Healer, He is the Rescuer, He is the Balm of Gilead.