"I pray the power of the Holy Ghost will be with each of us—that we may think what we need to think, feel what we need to feel, and learn what we need to learn so we can do what we know we should do and ultimately become what the Lord yearns for us to become." - David A. Bednar
“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
My kids have the opportunity of participating in the Cultural Celebration and Temple dedication for the Provo, City Center Temple. They had their first dance practice last night. Afterwards, my son came home and told me the song they are performing to was "Reaching" by, Audiomachine. I thought to myself "That's perfect! Absolutely perfect" because whenever I think of Audiomachine, I think of their album, "Tree of Life." This temple and the Tree of Life have long been tied together in story for me.
"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." - Isaiah 61:3
This temple is a symbol of incredible beauty, shining like a light, a symbol of a new life, of redemption from the ruins, of triumph through tragedy, and holiness out of heartbreak... How glorious it is, to rise from the ashes, and constantly reach to a higher and more noble place no matter the cost. Through Christ, all things are possible. The Lord is aware of our every need and every struggle. He is mighty to save and there is nothing we can't make it through when we rely and trust in His wisdom and grace. He is so very good... all is well... all is well.
"This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13
"For ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. " -2 Nephi 31: 19-20
"He saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree." 1 Nephi 8:24
I have the privilage of attending World Congress of Families IX in Salt Lake City. I'm surrounded by giants! They are all so inspiring and amazing. It's completely humbling to say the least. I really don't know what I'm doing and I still wonder how I got mixed up with such a fine group of women. So often I think "what on earth do I even have to offer that they couldn't easily find anywhere else?" I feel like a very tiny drop in a huge vast ocean.
Susan Roylance, who is a hero to this country (and to the world actually) spoke privately to our group this morning and said that she started out not knowing anything either (which I'm sure was far more knowledgable than I am now.) She said there were many times she felt completely alone and overwhelmed but promised that this was the work of God and encouraged us to trust in Him.
There is so much to be done in this battle to save the family, to help the world see the great need for virtue and fidelity, to protect and promote the sanctity of life and awaken children to their true idenity. I appreciated the words Susan shared with us today. She quoted briefly from the scriptures, about great things being accomplished by the small and simple. With all of the insecurities and inadequacies that haunt me, I certainly feel small and about as plain and simple as it gets. I truly needed that reminder. So needless to say, this will be the verse I ponder on for week four.
"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise." - Alma 37:6
In Young Women's last Sunday, Sister Taylor gave a wonderful lesson. She started out by going around the room and asking the girls what each of their names meant. It was fun to hear all of the girls share their stories.
My daughter explained that her first name was after the sister of Moses and also the Hebrew version of Mary. In the Bible Dictionary, Miriam means "exalted." Miriam's middle name is McKay, named after President David O. McKay because he was the prophet at the time my mom joined the Church, and it serves as a reminder for her to always follow the words of the living prophets. My first name, Alicia, means "noble, queenly, or truthful" and my middle name is the same as my mom's middle name which was given to remember Ruth in the Bible. Ruth means "friend" because of the loyalty she showed to her mother-in-law after they both became widows. "And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."- Ruth 1:16
A name is powerful! In a flash, it can conjure up images, stories, memories, experiences, or lessons. It is how we identify, honor, remember, and respect people, places, and things.
Helaman, an ancient Book of Mormon prophet, intentionally named his sons Nephi and Lehi for specific reasons. He said to them, "Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good. Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them." - Helaman 5:6,7
Helaman wanted his sons to remember these great men the same as we want our children to remember those who they are named after. He knew the names of Nephi and Lehi would impress upon their minds a remembrance of those who were of great faith, those who were willing to follow whatsoever the Lord commanded them, to be witnesses of Christ, to bear testimony and preach the Gospel to a hardened people, to leave behind everything they had and "step out into the unknown" with full unflinching trust in God. Generations through time and eternity would remember those men. Their stories were written down, and what was recorded on earth was also sealed in heaven. (D&C 127:7)
So a key purpose for Helaman naming his sons after the first Nephi and Lehi was to serve as a reminder to do good and to be good, that it could ALSO be written and recorded of his sons that they had "lived up to the names" they were given. As parents, we have the same desire. We want our children to take pride in their names, to remember their heritage, and live up to those who have gone before.
But, about that "taking pride in." I find the next few verses very interesting:
"And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven" (Helaman 5:8)
Why was there a concern that this could end up being something they could potentially become prideful about? Because, isn't it true that when we "do good" and it is noticed, recorded or said of us that we "are good," that we have a natural tendency to start focusing on "how good we are?"
In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis gives a perfect illustration of this: The Satan figure, Uncle Screwtape, is teaching his nephew, Wormwood, how to destroy a Christian;
"Your patient has become humble; have you drawn his attention to the fact? All virtues are less formidable to us once the man is aware that he has them, but this is especially true of humility. Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, 'By jove! I’m being humble', and almost immediately pride—pride at his own humility—will appear. If he awakes to the danger and tries to smother this new form of pride, make him proud of his attempt—and so on, through as many stages as you please"
Helaman understood this "natural man" tendency, to become focused on all the good that we do.
Note that in the next verse he counsels,"O remember, remember, my sons, the words which King Benjamin spake unto his people" (Helaman 5:9)
He brings them back to the words of King Benjamin.
And what was it that he taught?
He said: "I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness and His goodness.... and humble yourselves... calling on the name of the Lord daily." (Mosiah 4:11) "There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ." (Mosiah 5:8.)
No matter how incredible those men and women were that we are named after or that we name our children after...
No matter all the good that was written or spoken of them...
No matter all the good that might be written or spoken of us...
No matter how well we may live up to their name, as good and honorable as that may be...
We must always remember that there is only One who is truly wholly good and that Salvation is only "in and through [His name] the name of Christ." (Mosiah 3:17)
This was the lesson Helaman was trying to teach to his sons. It is a lesson for all of us. I was grateful when Sister Taylor brought her Sunday lesson around and focused it on our covenant at baptism, to take upon ourselves Christ's name.
Every Sunday we renew this covenant as we partake of the sacrament.
I must ask myself...
How am I doing throughout the week? What is my intent? Am I concerned about people remembering me, noticing me, and seeing the good that I do?
Or... am I focused on my covenant to remember Him and help others do the same?
How do I live up to the most important Name I will ever take upon myself?
I testify that God loves us. There is none that is greater than He. (1 John 4:4) When He is our focus, when we live up to His name, we will find the greatest treasures in Heaven.
-Alicia
With leprosy, bacteria attacks nerve endings and destroys the body's ability to feel. Without the sensation of feeling, people injure themselves on fire, thorns, rocks, even hot coffee cups. Injuries become infected and result in tissue loss. Fingers and toes become shortened and deformed as the cartilage is absorbed into the body. It can also result in difficulty breathing and poor vision.
When I read this definition of what leprosy is, I was surprised. I always thought it was a skin condition not a nerve condition. My husband even likes to joke around that he has "leprosy"when his skin is dry or peeling. I suppose there are many people through time, even during the time of Christ, that have thought it was some sort of contagious skin condition. But it's not, it's damage to the nerves, the ability to feel which leads to injury of the skin. This made me think of the scripture in 1Ne. 17:45 where Nephi speaks of his brothers as being “past feeling.” Could there be an emotional and spiritual kind of leprosy?
In every account that I have read where Christ heals the leper it always says that they were "immediately" healed.
If there is an emotional equivalent to leprosy, why can't that be immediately healed??? Why does it have to take 30 to 40 years or even a life-time for some?
What kinds of things in our lives make us "past feeling?" What numbs our ability to be conscious in our surroundings? What corrodes our awareness of the Spirit in our lives, or dulls our sense of true identity? I believe a big one in today's world is addiction. Those caught in it's ugly cycle, those who have constant regular relapses or just an occasional regurgitation, it doesn't really matter; each relapse "attacks the nerves, the sensation of feeling, leaving one open for greater injury and infection."
How sad that in Christ's time, the lepers were shunned or isolated, despised and rejected. They weren't contagious, they had self-inflicting injuries. And even though they were past feeling, I am certain they hungered all the more for closeness.
"The Little Prince" by, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry has been a favorite book of mine that I have treasured for years. There's a part in the story that illustrates the cycle of addiction perfectly. The scene is where the innocent boy meets a drunk man (or tippler) for the first time and it "plunges the little prince into deep dejection.":
"What are you doing there?" he said to the tippler, who he found settled down in silence before a collection of empty bottles and also a collection of full bottles. "I am drinking," replied the tippler, with a lugubrious air. "Why are you drinking?" demanded the little prince. "So that I may forget," replied the tippler. "Forget what?" inquired the little prince, who already was sorry for him. "Forget that I am ashamed," the tippler confessed, hanging his head. "Ashamed of what?" insisted the little prince, who wanted to help him. "Ashamed of drinking!" The tippler brought his speech to an end, and shut himself up in an impregnable silence. And the little prince was puzzled.
As puzzling as it is.... such is the cycle of those who struggle with addiction. The very thing that numbs them that "kills their pain" is the very source of their pain. How do they break free of this vexatious cycle? How do they "bury their weapons of war" deep in the ground and never pick them up again? (Alma 24: 17-18)
All things are possible through Christ, I know this! There is a way out of the cycle. The little prince was discouraged because there was really nothing he could do to help this man and it puzzled him each time he saw him lift the bottle again to his lips. "Why? Why don't you just stop? Why do you keep returning to this?" No doubt, the man asks himself the same question all the time and even hates himself for it.
The third step in the addiction recovery program is to "Trust in God." I believe this step is equally as vital to those who have loved ones that struggle with addiction as it is to those who are trapped in its awful vice. We would all do well to trust God a little more to pray and seek for strength, for wisdom beyond our own. “God, grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” — Reinhold Niebuhr
We are all agents "free to act for ourselves." We cannot change the actions of others or make them heal. We can love them though, love them, forgive them, keep loving them, and most of all... trust God! I believe He has the power to heal the leper and I know he can heal our loved ones caught in addiction, completely, wholly and forever! However long and hard that road may be to full and complete healing... There is no hunger, no heartache, no sorrow, no injury, pain, or weakness that He cannot repair or make right. I trust this.
I did some weeding out of an old garden last night. I think I've got it arranged now that I may keep it just for my own memories at least. I have a resolve to be more vigilant and careful in what I plant. It can be humbling for me to see just how many areas of my life need improving. We must always "watch ourselves... and perish not" (Mosiah 4:30)
I feel strengthened when I "[call] on the name of the Lord daily, and [stand] steadfastly in the faith." (Mosiah 4:11)
I desire with all my heart to be "steadfast and immovable" to have Christ "seal [me as] His." (Mosiah 5:15) He truly is the one sure foundation. I know He will help and strengthen me through every battle.
"And now, my sons, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."- Helaman 5:12
"We Won't Be Shaken"
by, Building 429
This world has nothing for me
This life is not my own
I know You go before me and I am not alone
This mountain rises higher
The way seems so unclear
But I know that You go with me so I will never fear
I discovered some things in my studies this morning as I've sought to dig a little deeper into scriptural soil. It's like I struck a vein of gold, a vein of pure and clear doctrine! I found it in the mix of my religion class studies and our ward scripture study. Almost two weeks ago, I shared on our ward page this comment about truth:
"This is a day of testing, of probation and we will reap what we sow (2Ne. 9:16). Where our treasure truly is, there will our heart be also (2Ne. 9:49-52). The things of this world cannot and never will satisfy the human soul, only truth can do that.... But truth must be what we treasure otherwise truth will be the very thing that slays us."
And ever since that day, I've been thinking of the "sword of truth" that we wield in this mortal battle, that only part of defensive armor we have as stated in Ephesians 6:10-18. I thought of Adam and Eve and their probationary time on this earth and how a “Cheribim and a flaming sword" were placed to guard the way of the tree of life - Genesis 3:24
Now, I've heard this phrase "cheribim and a flaming sword to guard the way of the tree of life" innumerable times before but it has been playing in my head almost like a broken record since I shared my "truth comment" on our ward page. What did it mean and why a cheribim and a flaming sword to guard access to the tree of life?
It must have been the same day or the next morning that the answer to my question hit me. The Lord wanted Adam and Eve to come to the tree, He wants all of us to come to it "black, white, bond, free, male and female." After all, it's the tree of salvation, the Savior of the world. But remember it was a probationary time for Adam and Eve (and for all of us). We need to prove ourselves first, prove where our hearts are, prove what we truly treasure.
Yesterday in my religion class, we read the verse about the "Cheribim and a flaming sword" in Alma 42:2 and I thought to myself, "Perfect timing! I've been constantly thinking about this 'flaming sword' for over a week!"
Now here's the good part!!
If truth is what we have treasured in this life, this time of probation, then the sword that guards the way of the Tree of Life will NOT slay us but will be given as a GIFT to us, like the coronation of royalty. We will kneel before the "Cheribim" he'll lay the sword before us and give it to us as a symbol of trust and honor. We will have this glorious sword in all our battles and it will not only continue to keep and preserve the tree but it will also keep and preserve US!
"Yea we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God [this sword], which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil... and land their souls,...at the right hand of God." - Helaman 3:29,30
This is where I saw the connection in our ward study for today: The wonderful and humble King Benjamin stands before his people and admits to them that he is far from perfect, "I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power." (Mosiah 2:11)
Now, let's stop there and talk about being "kept and preserved."
What was it that "kept and preserved" him??
Alma 42:2 says the flaming sword did "keep" the tree of life.
Now read Mosiah 2:15.
King Benjamin reveals the core of who he is, the core of why he taught and served his people, why he did what he did... can you find it?
"My brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day." (Mosiah 2:15) and in verse 27 "I had served you, walking with a clear conscience before God."
How had King Benjamin been "kept and preserved"?
HE TREASURED TRUTH!
Truth kept and preserved him! He was a man of complete integrity, fully and completely centered on Christ. King Benjamin didn't care about popularity, about being a 'crowd-pleaser', about saving his image, or building his ego... he knew that all of that was nothing, that he was nothing, "less than the dust of the earth!" He openly admitted, "I...am no better than ye yourselves are" (vs. 25, 26).
How rare it must have been and how RARE it truly is to see one in such power and authority so humble! The truth set him free: the truth of who He was in relation to his people, to God, and who God was in relation to Him, the truth of acting in honor of his stewardship and fulfilling his responsibilities for the right reasons and not for personal gain, the truth of living everything he taught in word and deed.
Perhaps no royalty before or since has ever wielded a "sword of such power" as King Benjamin!
I love the scriptures! I love these veins of gold that are meant to be discovered but we must search for them, we must seek them diligently and whole-heartedly. Truth must be what we hunger and thirst for... it must be what we treasure! This will "keep and preserve" us in this mortal battle... this is our sword!
Elder Richard G. Scott has counseled, “As you seek spiritual knowledge, search for principles. Carefully separate them from the detail used to explain them. Principles are concentrated truth, packaged for application to a wide variety of circumstances. A true principle makes decisions clear even under the most confusing and compelling circumstances. It is worth great effort to organize the truth we gather to simple statements of principle.” (Elder Richard G. Scott; Oct 1993)
Summer Semester began yesterday. I'm taking two classes; one religion and one finance.
As I walked into Sister Platt's 122 Book of Mormon class yesterday morning, I instantly felt the Spirit spread salving peace through the fractured corners of my heart. A sense of gratitude sparked within me. I smiled proudly to myself for making the decision to register for her class. Jennifer is a friend of mine and has played a key role in helping me discover my mission. I needed to be there yesterday but the need reached far beyond the necessity for college credit. The need was thirst-driven... and I knew, here, I would drink from the living waters of Truth.
Class started with a prayer and a hymn and then our discussion for the day focused on Alma 30 - 34 (the later half being some of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon.) I admit that given this reading and writing assignment, I assumed a verse somewhere in chapters 32-34 would catch my focus the most. (After all, they have been the ones I've favored a great deal through the years.) Instead, I gravitated to a few verses in Alma 31.
Alma prays, "O Lord, wilt thou give me strength, that I may bear with mine infirmities. For I am infirm... O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ" (Alma 31:30, 31.) Those five words struck me, "comfort my soul in Christ." Alma repeats them in verse 32 as he is pleading and pouring his heart out in prayer. I asked myself what it truly means to have one's soul comforted in Christ, especially in the midst of such sorrow. I followed the footnote to John 16:33 where it speaks of peace that only the Lord can give. The image of Christ calming the storm flashed in my mind. Only a couple of people know of the tempest that has been crashing upon my soul this last week. Self-doubt has been the main demon haunting me and causing me to question my own ability to be sensitive to revelation or to recognize the whisperings of the spirit. Self-criticism has left me dizzy and sore, as I've allowed myself to be battered around in the whirl of its ugly cyclone. Alma's prayer was familiar to me. These were my words, this was my cry!
As I continued reading and relating to the emotions so beautifully illustrated in these verses, I noticed a turning point for Alma, a "shift of focus" if you will. In verse 32 he begins to pray for his brethren, praying for their comfort, praying for them to be strengthened in the afflictions they were facing. In verse 36, he acts on the compassion stirring within him by giving them a priesthood blessing. After which "they did separate themselves one from another, taking no thought for themselves what they should eat, or what they should drink, or what they should put on." (vs. 37) This was the shift: they "took no thought of themselves." And it says in verse 38, that in doing so, they not only had the desired comfort, but "were swallowed up in the joy of Christ." They had joy!
My self-doubt, my self-criticism, my sorrows have been my snare. They have turned me inward, causing me to focus on myself, licking my wounds. As I read, I desired to have a "shift of focus" like Alma, to "take no thought of [myself]" and not only find peace in the midst of my "storms" but to progress from comfort to joy, "being swallowed up in... Christ." It caused me to ask, "Which of my brothers or sisters are in need of comfort? What service can I render to break free of my selfishness?" I so desperately want this this peace that Alma felt, and I want it turned into joy! Alma was given this "because he prayed in faith." (vs. 38) I know that as I sincerely turn my heart, as I pray and act to be a strength in behalf of others, to help them in their afflictions, I will follow the pattern of Christ and find this joy I seek.
I've been assigned to write a second paper in my religion class. With this one, we could only use scriptures from Enos to Alma 29 and tie in the two chapters we used from our last paper. It was refreshing for me to connect them.
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In Christ, there is a place we find rest, a sweet and calm assurance that the Master of the winds and waves is at the helm of our lives (1 Ne. 20:18). After the mighty struggle Enos had in fervent prayer, pleading and praying, emptying and pouring out his soul, he felt connected with Heaven, and Divine peace washed over Him (Enos 1:2-4) (1:5-7, 17, 27). This kénōsis (self-emptying) that Enos demonstrated is one I have also experienced in my own life and it too has brought me rest. As I have "poured out" in prayer to God, Christ has “poured out to me” with His spirit. As I have poured out all my strength - He has given me His strength. As I have poured out all my thoughts - He has given me His thoughts. As I have gone to the Lord fully and completely submissive, tearing open and emptying my soul to my Father - Christ has entered into the void of my heart and filled it to overflowing and I am at peace.
The Lord, in His mercy, wants all of us to feel this peace and assurance. It is His invitation to everyone, even those who refuse to listen (1 Ne. 20:7,8). “The Good Shepherd calls after [us]” time and time again (Alma 5:38,60). He is incredibly patient. His “arms of mercy are extended towards [us] and He saith: repent, and I will receive you” (Alma 5:33). The Nephites, Enos, Alma, and all those who hearken are “strengthened by the hand of the Lord” and “He [does] hear [their] cries” (Alma 2:28).
As our hungry souls are nourished, we can know it is by the power of the Savior that we are fed because it will turn us away from ourselves and give us greater concern for our fellow man. Enos exemplified this when he “began to feel a desire for the welfare of [his] brethren” (Enos 1:9).
While pondering upon the welfare of the others, we might remember that the Lord calls to His servants to “Go to them that sit in darkness” and He will “give for thee a light” (1 Ne. 21: 6,9). The scriptures illustrate the Lord’s compassion for those “in the dark,” they state that He “delivered their souls from hell,” “He changed their hearts,” and “awakened them out of a deep sleep.” “They were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated” (Alma 5:6,7). This illumination is generated from the power of covenant, from being connected to the True Vine through “repentance and redemption, and faith on the Lord” (Mosiah 18:7). It comes from us having a “mighty change of heart” (Alma 5:14) and sincere desire to walk as Jesus walked, to talk as Jesus talked, to love as He loved, to live as He lived, and ultimately become as He became, “meek, submissive, patient, full of love, and all longsuffering” (Alma 13:28). He bore the burdens of others, mourned with those that mourn, gave comfort to those who stood in need of comfort every waking moment of His life, “even unto death” (Mosiah 18:8,9).
It doesn’t really matter the reason why people mourn, whether they have brought the sorrow upon themselves, if it is despair from sin, or simply heartache from circumstances or situations beyond their control. When it comes to compassion, the Lord does not differentiate between who He extends his arm of mercy to (Alma 5:33) and He bids us to do the same.
But what about our own moments of misery? At times like these, it is easy for us to feel totally alone and utterly helpless. We may even begin to feel forgotten or even rejected (1 Ne. 21:14). But just as the Lord states in 1 Ne. 21:15,16, we see that He does not forget us, because He has “engraven [us] upon the palms of [His] hands.” His love for every individual is matchless because He has felt every pain, every sin, every temptation, every sorrow, and heartache as if they were His own (Mosiah 3:7) (Alma 7:11,12).
Reading over the Isaiah chapters quoted in 1 Nephi 20 and 21 and touching on the books of Enos, Mosiah, and Alma, we observe an overarching theme of love that describes the true character of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He longs for us to come unto Him. We are His sheep and He is our Shepherd, He wants to feed us, to lead us to green pastures, and fill our souls with living water (Alma 5:33,38).
Perhaps we have strayed and feel that we are no longer worthy of His illuminating presence. We may run away or even hide. Yet in the dark of night, He continues to shine and call out servants to help find that which is lost. With outstretched arms, we see the wounds He suffered. We recognize them instantly, for they are our wounds (1 Ne. 21:16). That which carved the holes in His hands and side are our heartaches, our sins, our temptations, and sufferings. Herein we discover that we can trust Him, completely and fully because He has walked the path we have walked. Our “hearts are changed” by this understanding and we “feel to sing the song of redeeming love” (Alma 5:26). In Christ we witness the most truly amazing love story ever told.
-Alicia
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I remember singing this for the first time in my high school choir group.
