Time is short, but as I read Mosiah 27 this morning, I couldn't help but go back in time to my own miraculous conversion. It was a dark world I was living in.
Not for a second can I dispute God’s power. I didn’t see an Angel and the earth didn’t shake, but I will never doubt the fact I was rescued by a power beyond this earth. I was taught by earthly angels, but the Spirit called me back to the covenant path and has been guiding me ever since.
As I'm reading these "thou shalt" verses in Leviticus 19, the thought occurred to me: These are the chosen people of Israel who have been led by a Prophet of God into the wilderness. They chose to follow him. They aren't perfect. Although they are following a prophet, they have not overcome the ways of the world. That is a process, just as it is for those of us who have repented from a wicked and dark world to live worthy of living with God once more. It doesn't happen overnight or even in a few weeks or even a few miracles. It is a life-long process and pursuit.
All are equal in the sight of God and that must be our goal as well. Pray to see others as the Lord sees them. We must always be looking out for those who struggle to find means for themselves and their families. Using it all up for ourselves is a sin.
The bottom line on all of this is to love God with all our hearts, might, mind and strength and love our neighbor as ourself. This entire chapter could be boiled down to these two commandments. I listened to a podcast with Steve Young yesterday on his new book, The Law of Love. It was a captivating podcast and talked about his struggles as he overcame generational depression and the feelings of unworthiness of any good in his life. As he began to see others as the Lord sees them instead of someone to compete with, he was able to see himself in a different light as well. He is passionate about this concept and it was a game changer for him.
Now let’s talk a bit about idols. The idols we choose in our modern world are so different from what ancient Israel chose. They actively created a golden calf. That took time and sacrifice of goods (think gold and jewelry here). Are the decisions to follow the ways of the world vs God any less time consuming? What are the idols of today? I can think of a few, and there are many more for sure:
Every one of these takes our eye off the "ball" so to speak. We spend time accomplishing them. If it is a celebrity, we follow them on social media, seek to dress like them and mimic them. Add to this that there will always be the next celebrity to follow. It is never ending because the “goal” keeps moving. Jesus needs to be our goal. He doesn’t change!
Body worship takes serious time at the gym as a gym rat instead of pursuing more righteous endeavors. Being fit is one thing; worshiping the fitness is the problem.
As I age, the material possessions become less of a draw. I would much rather be at home doing Family Search than in a store buying the next item that will bring happiness.
For some people, it is always the next adventure that is their draw. They keep themselves so busy in pursuit of the next thrill that the thrill of the Gospel and becoming more like Jesus becomes more of a duty than a joy. I could be wrong on this one.
Some are so focused on a perfect yard, perfect home, perfect body and wardrobe or perfect children, that they are distracted from focusing on the Savior and perfecting their relationship with Him. These goals are changing as well. There will always be the next thing to become perfect at. Again, Jesus doesn’t change!
Social media and approval of others just might be lumped together. Why do people spend endless hours making videos of themselves lying down in seductive poses and talking without a filter about whatever it is they are thinking? I don't get it.
Years ago, Jon Schmidt said the best way to write a song is to write the first note; the rest will follow. I have found that to be a truth.
Let’s hope it works with journaling my thoughts for my blog because I don’t know where I’m going today.
I studied Come Follow Me this morning and had some good thoughts, albeit fragmented. Mostly I was focused on Exodus 40 and Leviticus 1. When I first read through this week’s lesson, I must admit it didn’t really register like it should have. When I read it with the intent to find meaning in the individual items, then it was more meaningful.
Do you think the smell of incense would become a sweet memory, that when you smell them you think of a time that was sacred to you? I do. Smells are so important to me. There are some that will transport me back to a time that was one to remember forever. I love them. Frequently, it is the smell of a certain food. Bacon cooking takes me to a home where breakfast was always shared as a family. The kitchen was comfortably warm as we prepared for the first meal of the day. We would all kneel down around the kitchen table as Dad would give thanks for the blessings in our lives and pray over those in need and protection for his family.
Ah, there is another smell that transports me. It is the smell of coffee in the outdoors. Stay with me here. I'm not a coffee drinker, but that smell transports me to good times with my aunts, uncles and cousins as we would gather for annual family reunions in the woods in Colorado. Those were really good times. I think the key word in both of these examples is "Gather".
Just a thought, but isn't that a word Pres. Nelson has used to ask us to participate in as we prepare for our Savior's return? The GREAT REUNION so to speak. Where we will gather with those we love and have loved who have moved beyond the veil. I'm even more sensitive to that word as I've begun to do Family History in an effort to gather my ancestors.
I think the person getting the most out of making all these items of worship for the Tabernacle would have been Bezaleel. Can you imagine the hours it took to accomplish all these things? As he did so, where were his thoughts? Surely they would have been on the task at hand, but do you think he was thinking how they would be used? His mind was most likely free to go where it wanted, and I believe he was thinking on sacred things. In the process, he was becoming more holy as well. No doubt, he was being “beaten down” in the process as well and it had to be hot. It wasn’t in a “cooled” environment with air conditioning. I'm sure this isn't where the majority of thinkers go with this, but I tend to gravitate to more simple things.
As for the candlestick, just exactly what was the symbol? Light? It was of "beaten work", not ready to be used for the purpose in which it was created. It needed to be beaten down and made moldable. Aren't we like gold? The Lord has told us we are His work and His glory, but we know we are far from perfect. Are we being beaten into a beautiful work of art with the experiences we are having on this earth?
As for the six branches going out of the sides of the candlestick, I wonder. What are the numbers representing? What is the total? Six on each side? Would that be 12? Does it represent the twelve tribes of Israel? In v22 it says: ". . .all of it was one beaten work. . .". Again, beaten. I'm sure each tribe is, in its own way, being beaten and made to be the people the Lord will invite in His kingdom.
The incense altar of shittim wood - it was perfectly square and overlaid with gold. Why gold? What was its purpose? To burn incense. That requires fire and I would think the wood would go up in flames without the gold. Right? As the gold has been beaten down in order to mold around the wood to protect it, isn't that what is happening to us as we are beaten down? Are we becoming more moldable? Is that making us more resilient to the evils, dangers and trials that come our way and giving us the power to do the Lord’s work? Maybe that is the symbol. Notice I don't do a deep dive into the words that the scholars teach. It's more than I can wrap my brain around. These are simple thoughts—the kind of I have.
And that’s my thoughts for this day. Yes, somewhat fragmented, but that is a representation of who I am, I guess.
Three principles I feel very strongly about. Today as I was reading from Mosiah 23-25, some my own notes struck me.
Mosiah 23:5
Idleness: I think we fail to realize the importance of this word. My mom would often say “an idle mind is the Devil’s workshop”. The older I get, the easier it is to see that this is what is ruining our world, our nation and even our children and grandchildren. I believe it is the need to survive that will eventually turn this around and our people will begin to put in the work necessary to survive—and not at the expense of someone else’s hard work. Work (and Jesus) will bring order into the world again. Today, there is madness all around us. This is due, in part, to not having to be concerned about food or a roof over their heads. Somebody will fix it. That somebody will be Jesus, but it has been made clear how that is to happen. Prayer and learning how to pray can be its own kind of “work”, but brings miraculous results as we humble ourselves and look for the Lord’s hands in our lives.
Prayer: (Mosiah 24:22)
Maybe I even mentioned yesterday a little about the importance of prayer. It is such a big thing to me and becomes more so as I age. I watch this principle of faith in prayer being watered down and it grieves me. Family prayer is powerful and wonderful and I fully endorse it, but at an early age, (even before those little knees are able to bend on their own), I believe children need to be taught to kneel down at their parent’s knee and utter their own simple prayer. When they’re tiny, it might be nothing more than “blah, blah, blah, Jesus.” Or “blah, blah, blah Mom and Dad” or whatever. It is crucial to their ability to survive as they navigate their way in this world. Pres. Nelson has told us as much in his pleadings that we teach our families. Without learning to pray for God’s presence in our lives, we’re not going to make it through these last days. And as I type this, I think on my own family. Maybe I need to put Agency as a tag line in this missive. Oh, we didn’t do everything right—that is evident. But we did pray as a family and teach our children to pray. More of our children walked away from that principle of truth than embraced it. Yes, Agency is a big deal. Jesus died to give it to us. The Spirit just chastised me a little.
Mosiah 25:10 — It is so important that we look for the hands of God in the details of our lives and remember to thank Him for His kindness. Rescue is miraculous. It doesn’t have to be a big rescue like I read about in Mosiah this morning, either. Sometimes it is as simple as having a neighbor ask you for help and give you the opportunity to be the Lord’s hands in their lives.
Mosiah 23:21-22 — And Just because we're doing it right doesn't mean only good is going to come into our lives. We are on this earth to develop the character of Jesus. Patience is of one of those traits. We need to see the trials as blessings in disguise as well. Ugh! Much easier to type than it is to do. Nonetheless, it is critical to our becoming like little children so that we can be in the Lord’s presence someday.
3 May 2022
I've been very slack in posting my thoughts when I read the scriptures. Shame on me! I read Elder Gary E. Stevenson's talk in April 2022 General Conference this morning: "Love, Share, Invite". I sometimes grieve a little that we are not serving a traditional mission as a couple. This is no reason not to be a member missionary. I don't exactly live in a place where I can teach a neighbor. Set a good example is a fall-back position, and probably wimpy at that. I must repent. Maybe this is how I'll start. As I was reading from the Book of Mormon this morning in Mosiah 23 & 24, a note in my scriptures I wrote in 2021 caught my attention. I'll share it:
Mosiah 24:13-14
This is so powerful! Think about it. Covenant people will be blessed and during the trials, the Lord will fight their battles —"deliver them out of bondage". Is this what my dear friend Floy was talking about five days before she passed? We are covenant children and the Lord will deliver us from bondage. He will ease burdens. And why? Verse 14 - so that we can be witnesses for Him and of Him that he does visit us in our afflictions.
Does it have to be just afflictions? I don't know that I see a lot of afflictions, but I do get myself into stressful situations frequently. I play the piano. That brings with it a little complexity in my life at times. I schedule things too tight. I wonder how in the world I'll pull it off, but God give me the strength and sometimes He even adjust schedules so that I can keep my commitments. My kids say, "Oh Mom, you bring on your own stress. You keep yourself too busy." But everything I do I do because I love the Savior. He delivered me out of bondage. I will serve Him to my dying breath because of His mercy, grace and care of me. I saw it! It was visible! It was tangible! I will NEVER deny it?
FYI, at the time I was delivered, I wasn't keeping my covenants. I was a covenant child, but I was off the rail. I was still a covenant child. My parents WERE keeping their covenants and I prayed that THEIR prayers in my behalf would be answered. The most powerful prayer of my life!!!
