In Luke 1:46, Mary, the mother of Christ said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord."
What does it mean to magnify something? It means to increase, extend, expand, intensify.
If it is the Lord that is the one that is magnified first in our heart and mind then He becomes bigger, stronger, more powerful than the other things that may try to consume us... like our fears, our weaknesses, our anxieties, our doubts, and even our foolish pride.
The problems and struggles we face may seem Goliath in size, but when our soul magnifies the Lord, we see that God is bigger than any obstacle. With this knowledge, we can do as David did: We will "hasten and [run] toward" those giants, with full confidence that we "come to [our problems] in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel" so "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel." (1 Samuel 17:45, 46 & 48)
Through a vision that daily recognizes and embraces the all-consuming presence and power of God, we see that God is greater, He's stronger, He is more powerful than any troubles we face, and we will come off conquerors!! With God, we need not fear.
-Alicia
2 comments:
Magnify also means growth within ones calling, or to expreience and participate in the expected exaltation. We can broaden our vision and scope of what a “calling “really is and how wonderful it is to pattern our magnification in the concept of exaltation. I had an "aha" moment, while reading Mormon 8, concerning Moroni's grief over his fathers death and the literal death of a nation, the Nephites and the Lamanites. As I read his account, and it seemed that he was literally "taking on or putting" the mantle of the duties his father Mormon. who had so faithfully carried out. And I remembered our baptismal promise, to stand for the Savior, in all things and at all times..even unto death. So my mind exploded when I finally correlated why Moroni and why Josesph Smith. Why Moroni and not say Gabriel, or Michael or any other named or unnamed Heavenly messenger. In Joshua 5, it talks about a "charge" to keep.
Joshua 22:5 Amplified Bible) 5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you: to love the Lord your God and to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and to cling to and unite with Him and to serve Him with all your heart and soul [your very life].
Moroni was a more relevant pattern of how we attend to our callings, no matter what they are, and how we "keep" them, which is how we participate in them, to serve God's people and to glorify God. That is what it really means to magnify one's calling, which is to glorify God. And God in turn, his work and his glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Even though we use the term magnify as it corrolates to our callings, that very word is a word for God, like sanctify, glorify, honor, praise. To God be the Glory for he is worthy of our praise, and our works are as filthy rags before him, but it is the heart song that he longs to hear. Our work, our service is not done so much with our hands, as with our hearts. We love him with all of our heart and might and mind. We love our neighbors as our selves. But what is ourself? The Savior asks, What manner of men and women ought we to be, Even as I am he said, and when he appears we shall him as he really is, for we shall be like him, our eyes and hearts wide open.
Check out this video, I remember as a kid, this is how we "opened" or started our worship services with this song, sung by some really old and faithful deacons.
https://youtu.be/pSOTIP_6JL4
This is the poem this song is based on:
A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify,
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.
To serve the present age,
My calling to fulfill:
Oh, may it all my pow’rs engage
To do my Master’s will!
Arm me with jealous care,
As in Thy sight to live;
And O Thy servant, Lord, prepare
A strict account to give!
Help me to watch and pray,
And on Thyself rely,
Assured, if I my trust betray,
I shall forever die.
Charles Wesley
Conference Talk/Elder Maxwell
https://youtu.be/rFxP7wmhAAw
Love you Alicia, girl we need to do a "face time" moment.
Thanks for sharing, Ramona! I always love hearing popular hymns from other Christian religions. He has a really great voice!
What a wonderful talk you referenced by Elder Maxwell too. I love how he describes the restoration and the things of God as light and that these truths must be handled with great care. Because of all that has been restored, we have a greater understanding of our purpose on earth, and a greater understanding of Who God is. In the physical world it is light that enables a magnifying glass to work, to help us see things we couldn't see before. Truly, this wonderful Gospel does the same for us.
I also like how you tied in Moroni and Mormon's motives for keeping the records. They had no other object than to glorify God, to bring light and truth to the world. They certainly had no fear of the popular opinion or social rejection in their day. And because of all they sacrificed, and because they had their heart's centered right, they kept the plates and magnified God in these last days for all the world to see.
Post a Comment