See God moving in majesty and power

Dear friend

I remember times when I was quite young, and it would be a clear but not too cold an evening. I would lie on the ground, on my back, looking upwards into the night sky. I would look up at all the stars, so many of them. Then I would look harder and see so many many more. I would try to stretch my finite mind towards comprehending the infinity that filled my vision, hoping for a glinting glimpse of galactic grandeur. I thought of each star being a glowing sun in its own system; a million million million of them (and that's just the visible Universe). It was truly awesome and I loved it.

I believe the scriptures encourage us to do a little "big thinking" every so often, so that we might contemplate the eternity on our doorstep. One such passage comes from Doctrine and Covenants 88:45-47.

45 The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun giveth his light by day, and the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their light, as they roll upon their wings in their glory, in the midst of the power of God.
46 Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand?
47 Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power.

If we could travel through the expanse of space to see the stars closer up, we surely could not help but be overwhelmed by these massive spheroids. And as believers, how much more appreciative would it make us of the organisational omnipotence of the Being who created them all, without number?

It is all held in place by the power of Our God. The more we learn about His creative completeness, the more we see we have still more to learn. But even the merest morsel of understanding allows us to "see God moving in His majesty and power".

I hope that when you do your big thinking, it gives you a greater sense of the immense power and glory of God. And to think, in spite of all that work and responsibility, He still makes time for you and me.

Samuel.

Your sorrow shall be turned into joy

Dear friend

Despite our best efforts to avoid troubles and woes, they still happen. Our problems can get us down, sometimes very down. There is recorded in scripture an incident when the Saviour explained to some of His disciples that He would need to leave them for "a little while". He predicted how it would affect them (He knowing the horrific nature of His leaving). But He promised them joy in the end.

I believe we can apply the teaching from this situation to our own troubles, especially if they come upon us regardless of our genuine attempts to live righteously (or maybe at times because of our living the gospel). The key elements of the story come from the New Testament, John 16:20-22.

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

How true of our woeful world that the troubles experienced by Christian peoples can be a source of merriment to the wicked. How comforting then to have the assurance that our sorrows will be turned to joy. The example of the woman in labour is so very real and relevant. It is sometimes described as the pain that is quickest to be forgotten. The joy at the arrival of a new life almost instantly swallows up the not inconsiderable pain of giving birth.

Our life on earth is short from the perspective of eternity. Pain is par for the course. But we can rejoice in the hope and assurance that we shall see our Saviour again. And as we try to follow His course while He is not personally, physically with us, there is the pleasurable prospect of a joyful reunion; a joy that can be ours forever. I pray that in our sorrows we will remember the joy to come.

Samuel.

Turn to the Lord for help

Dear friend

There will be times in all of our lives when we really need divine help. It will be that special kind of help that only God can provide. Our need may be due to sin, sorrow, pressure or pain. The good news is that He will help us find the respite of repentance, or the comfort of consolation, the relief of reinforcement, or the blessing of a balm. In this regard I love these words from the Old Testament, Joel 2:12, 13.

12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

What is there to learn from these wonderful verses about receiving God's help when we really need it? Firstly we should do it "now". The sooner we seek Him the sooner He can fix us. Second, when we do decide to turn to Him, do it "with all your heart". No half measures, no lingering desires for the wrong things, no presumption that you are too far gone, no doubts about either His power or your capacity for faith. Put your whole heart into becoming whole again. But be prepared because that may take fasting, or tears, or sorrow like mourning.

Rather than an outward show of emotional turmoil such as the ancient practice of rending (or tearing) your clothes in a public display, the Lord would much prefer it if our hearts are rent. I see this as being connected to the need for a broken heart and contrite spirit as we turn to Him for help beyond ourselves. Then comes the assurance, and what a promise it is: infinite and perfect grace, mercy, patience and kindness. The knowledge of this promise alone can begin to bring the peace and rest we seek. It is the light at the end of the tunnel.

I really do hope and pray that we avail ourselves of the saving powers of Jesus Christ. He is all mighty and all loving. Trust Him.

Samuel.

Sons and daughters of the Father

Dear friend

What would it be like to have the perfect relationship between ourselves, as the child, and Heavenly Father, as the parent? The relationship may already be there, but is it an ideal one? As with so many aspects of the gospel, the example of perfection in this regard is found in (and through) the Lord Jesus Christ.

At the point just after His greatest achievement, the Atonement, Christ announced himself to His followers in the New World; as found in the Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 9:15-17.

15 Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.
16 I came unto my own, and my own received me not. And the scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled.
17 And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, ...

These verses give us an insight into the perfect Father/son or Father/daughter relationship. They also point the way towards achieving that blessed state. Like Jesus, we too can state our claim as children of God by virtue of Him being the Father of our spirits; although Christ's Sonship goes beyond that fundamental familial affinity. We too were with the Father in the beginning, but here's the question: are we now, at this time "in the Father" and can we sense "the Father in me"? Also, do we live our lives such that we bring glory to the name of the Father?

The way to reach that unity or "oneness" which is necessary for the Father to be in us and us in Him is to receive Jesus Christ fully into our lives, starting with believing in Him. He is the only one who has the power to elevate us to the kind of sonship or daughterhood that Christ Himself enjoys.

I feel sure the Father wishes to have the same closeness with us that He has with Jesus. And it is possible, if we seek it.

Samuel.

The idolatry of things

Dear friend

If you ask most people what they could not live without they might well list things like their smartphone, their car, their games console, their home computer, laptop or tablet, or some other possession. These sorts of things have become very useful, even enjoyable and convenient, or simply essential to our lives. But I think there is a danger that this kind of materialistic thinking - the pleasure of having "things" - is stopping people from recognising what is truly essential to a happy life. More than this, people are elevating these objects to a status of veneration that begins to match the behaviour of worship. If we adore, exalt, extol and praise these man-made things, I believe we are in danger of the charge of idolatry.

If we idolise something, if we treat it as a special treasure, this could indicate a false God has taken over our heart. Consider a verse from the Old Testament, Leviticus 19:4.

4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God.

I've come to think of an idol as any man-made object we revere to excess. And I don't just mean statues or totems to which we might bow down, pray, or sacrifice to. If we lend some object a status of elevated respect, it begins to look like a verse from the Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 21:17.

17 Thy graven images I will also cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee, and thou shalt no more worship the works of thy hands;

We must not let ourselves worship the work of our hands. The reason is given in Doctrine and Covenants 1:16.

16 They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish ...

I hope we will be aware of the potential dangers of the idolatry of man-made things. No object should become so essential that it replaces God, gospel or goodness.

Samuel.

Like clay in the Potter's hands

Dear friend

Some of the best object lessons are found in the scriptures. I find it helpful when everyday items or situations are used to illustrate and simplify concepts that might otherwise be abstract or metaphysical. One such analogous aphorism is found in the Old Testament, Jeremiah 18:1-5.

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

We may consider ourselves to be of the house of Israel, either by lineage birth, or by adoption after accepting Christ and His kingdom on earth. Due to our spiritual limitations we might struggle to concretise concepts like us being in the hands of the Lord. How literal is that? Does being in His hands relate to control or protection or something else? How is being in His hands different, or not, from being in His eye, or His heart?

In these verses the Lord teaches Jeremiah, and us, something deeply meaningful, and I think comforting too, about how our God works with us. Like a potter He gently moulds the basic clay into something useful. It might be simple or ornate; the potter knows what is needed.

We too should aspire to be like clay in the Potter's hands; malleable, allowing the One who knows us better than we know ourselves to shape us. It has been well said that he can do more with our lives than we can do with them. If we make a mistake and become a marred vessel, He can figuratively and literally reform us.

I love the inspired image of us being like clay in the Potter's hands.

Samuel.

Nothing to gain from gainsaying

Dear friend

The ancient peoples that made up the children or house of Israel were given many promises. One of their opportunities was to be the means of blessing all the other people of the world as messengers or witnesses of God. Sadly Israel often spurned their chances to be chosen, electing instead to indulge in the practices of heathens. Perhaps recognising that in his day things had not changed much for Israel, the Apostle Paul spoke of them in the New Testament, Romans 10:21.

21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

"Disobedient" is a word with which we are sadly all too familiar, but "gainsaying" is one of those King James Version words long since dropped from modern parlance. It is defined as denying the truth, opposing, disputing, contradicting what is right. Gainsaying is a choice people make to rebel against an authority by refusing to accept what is true. A further, more descriptive treatment of gainsaying Israel is found in the Book of Mormon, Jacob 6:4-6.

4 And how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long; and they are a stiffnecked and a gainsaying people; but as many as will not harden their hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God.
5 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.
6 Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; for why will ye die?

Some truths are "inconvenient" or so it would appear, particularly if they tell us something we don't want to hear. In justifying their disobedience to some requirement people often try to suggest that the underlying principle of truth is somehow not correct. They block their need to comply by refusing to accept what they know deep down is right.

So let us learn the lesson of Israel's inconsistency and not harden our hearts by becoming gainsayers. Rather let us cleave to God with full purpose of heart. I pray that we will be true to truth and the only thing we deny is ungodliness.

Samuel.

The Psalms can help our prayers

Dear friend

The Psalms are a treasure trove of exemplary communications with God. If in our own prayers we sometimes struggle with knowing the right things to say or the best way of saying them, the Psalms can inspire us with their simple pleadings and humble praises. The language is beautiful and at times quite exquisite.

As we prepare to pray by reveringly contemplating and comparing our standing before God - the vast differences in our respective wisdom and worthiness - we can draw instructional insight from such passages as found in the Old Testament, Psalm 73:22-26.

22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

The Psalmist acknowledges how crude and rudimentary is our knowledge. We are like an animal in contrast to God's omniscience. Yet, despite that gulf in relative glory, we are caused to recognise His willing presence in our lives. He is, or can be if we let Him be, continually beside us as if walking hand-in-hand. As we obediently follow His counsel we can see more and more how it is designed to lead us back to Him. But we must place Him first in our lives, beyond our personal preferences or pleasures.

As mortals we are often subject to our "flesh and our heart failing". These are the very matters we can take to the Lord to seek a blessing at His hand; either to remove our weaknesses or help us endure and learn from them. Can you picture yourself borrowing the sentiments and maybe even some of the words from these verses as you compose your communing with the Almighty? I think that is one reason they are included in the holy writ.

I hope that the scriptures can ever help us to commune competently with God. I pray we too can say that He is "the strength of my heart".

Samuel.

Seek God, the earlier the better

Dear friend

I worry that too many people - and I include myself on occasion - can become casual in their relationship with God. I recognise that we simply cannot be totally at our righteous peak all of the time, but a casual attitude to God can quickly turn into a comfortable habit. One way to recognise this happening is by noticing less than earnest prayer practices; such as being inconsistent, using vain repetition, missing the occasional prayer, not kneeling if you can, or not really concentrating. Such laxity can also be the thin edge of that sneaky wedge; the wedge that gradually drives us away from God and towards Satan's influences.

There was a time when the ancient kingdoms of Judah and Israel were far beyond casual in neglecting their divine duties. They were going through that iniquitous phase of another of their apostacy, humility, prosperity, pride cycles. They were not seeking the face of their God. They were too busy looking for happiness in wickedness. Speaking in the voice of the Lord the Prophet Hosea knew what the outcome would be, as described in the Old Testament, Hosea 5:15.

15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

How true it is that the quality of our seeking the Lord all too often correlates with our level of needing His help. And too often that help is needed to get us out of a problem we got ourselves into in the first place. In this regard I especially like the phrase "they will seek me early". We can read a similar sentiment in Doctrine and Covenants 88:83.

83 He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken.

This version turns the phrase into the positive. Without needing a pressing blessing, we do well to seek God first thing; not second, or last. Doing those things that nurture the circumstances so that God can be involved in our lives should be early in our daily to dos; at the top end of the list.

I hope we never take our God for granted. Yes, He is always there for us, but are we always there for Him? I pray we will be early engagers in Father's fellowship.

Samuel.

The stopping effect of damnation

Dear friend

The Lord is constantly moving forward with His plans for this world; and probably others too. He is the agent of change in the universe. He controls the mechanisms of mobility, while we benefit from, and are part of, His kinetics. The forces which are at play are unstoppable, particularly by "unhallowed hands". Hopefully we are contributing positively, in a hallowed way, by assisting God to achieve His eternal purposes.

But have you ever considered what it would be like to get stuck? We have probably all, at some time, been stopped in a journey by a traffic jam, a broken down train, or other barrier that stops us moving towards where we want to go. It can be frustrating, even annoying. Can you imagine what it would be like if there were an immovable end to your progression, a final and fixed barrier to your personal process of moving forward? It is not a pleasant prospect.

The scriptures describe such a drastic end to the progress of an individual soul, as in these verses from the Book of Mormon, Helaman 12:25, 26.

25 And I would that all men might be saved. But we read that in the great and last day there are some who shall be cast out, yea, who shall be cast off from the presence of the Lord;
26 Yea, who shall be consigned to a state of endless misery, fulfilling the words which say: They that have done good shall have everlasting life; and they that have done evil shall have everlasting damnation. And thus it is. Amen.

Being cast out or cast off from God's presence is surely to be avoided at all costs. It would result in endless misery. The key word is "damnation". If we persist in choosing evil, come the Judgement, a "dam" is placed in our path. That dam is fixed, like a water dam. All and any progress is stopped, forever. That is damnation.

Hopefully we will never face a dam to our personal progress. I pray rather that we are judged to have "done good" and so obtain eternal life, which is eternal progression. Only through the Lord Jesus Christ is this possible.

Samuel.

Preserving our soul

Dear friend

The word "soul" is one of those words used in scripture that can have different meanings. Soul can mean:

- a premortal or postmortal spirit being (that is not in a physical body of some kind), or
- a spirit and body united in the mortal state (our life now), or
- an immortal resurrected person whose spirit and body are connected never to be separated.

The different meanings can be worth pondering over in certain scriptural contexts, such as from Doctrine and Covenants 101:35-38.

35 And all they who suffer persecution for my name, and endure in faith, though they are called to lay down their lives for my sake yet shall they partake of all this glory.
36 Wherefore, fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full.
37 Therefore, care not for the body, neither the life of the body; but care for the soul, and for the life of the soul.
38 And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life.

This revelation came in an environment of extreme persecution facing the Lord's people. They were suffering terribly for their faith. They were enduring threats, loss of possessions, assaults and even mortal danger. The Lord chose that moment to teach them a hard but overall comforting lesson. He said that losing your life for the Lord opens the door to His glory. And that divine door is a portal to the fullness of joy; whereas in mortality the ultimate joy is simply not available.

The Lord then explains a stark perspective. It is our soul that we must care for most particularly, not the body. The mortal manifestation of terrestrial life, our earthly body, is not nearly as important to preserve as is our soul. It is inevitable that the mortal body will die at some point, but our essential spirit is immortal. So our spirit/body "soul" should be our core concern. And I see this as meaning our prospective eternal soul.

Sometimes we just need to be patient through mortal trials; even though at the time that can be asking a lot. If we concern ourselves with always seeking the Lord’s face then our soul will find that most desirable joy, and rest from our trials, in a glorious eternal life.

So preserving life is important, but saving souls is crucial, especially our own.

Samuel.

Our weaknesses can be a strength

Dear friend

Do you ever get annoyed at yourself because of a personal weakness? Have you prayed more than once that this imperfection in your character be removed? The Apostle Paul was troubled in this way and he spoke candidly about it in the New Testament, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

If you have a "thorn in the flesh", such as being drawn to some sin, or a negative mindset, or an inability to do something, then there is likely a reason for it. It sounds like Paul's weakness kept him grounded. It didn't stop him praying for its removal; that is, until he understood the purpose of having weaknesses.

Have you ever considered how "strength is made perfect in weakness"? Paul realised that his weakness caused him to require God's good grace to come upon him; and it was surely "sufficient". Indeed, it turned around Paul's thinking. He was glad to glory in his imperfections if it meant he experienced Christ's power.

Can you imagine taking pleasure in the reproaches, distresses or persecutions that result from your weaknesses? Maybe we need to think about our challenges differently. If you didn't have them there would be no need for Christ to be a force in your life. But we want Him in our life, surely. He allows us to demonstrate humility, faith and how we are making gradual progress as we master our weaknesses, with Christ to strengthen us.

I hope we can reappraise our weaknesses, in particular how they increase our need for the Lord to be involved in our lives. I pray we come to see more clearly how, when in our weakness if we call on the grace of Jesus Christ for help, we may actually be at our enhanced strongest.

Samuel.

Believe in Christ to gain salvation

Dear friend

Believing in Jesus Christ is the key to making our life on earth worthwhile. His mission in coming into the world was to save all people. Part of that salvation was unconditional, part was conditional. These truths should be the central message of any efforts to bear witness of the gospel: the "good news" of Jesus Christ.

This doctrine of Christ is taught repeatedly throughout the scriptures, such as in the Book of Mormon, Alma:11:40, 41.

40 And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else.
41 Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made, except it be the loosing of the bands of death; for behold, the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and stand before God, and be judged according to their works.

Unconditional salvation is achieved through the resurrection of all to immortality. Christ wins the victory over the grave completely. Nobody shall be left behind. All shall rise again. But to where shall we arise? That is determined by the conditional part of salvation. We must believe in Christ, obey His commandments and endure to the end in faithfulness. Once we come to know of Jesus, this is then the only way to gain eternal life; which is to enjoy our immortality in the presence of the Father because we are judged worthy to live with Him forever.

This message is so important. The Apostle John was one of the more prolific writers of scripture. He explained why scriptures were written, in the New Testament, John 20:31.

31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

So scriptures are written to bring us to Christ. That is their purpose. I pray that we will come to believe more in Christ through reading the scriptures and so be on the path to salvation.

Samuel.

Full of faith like Abraham

Dear friend

The great patriarch Abraham is a central figure in Judaism, Christianity, Islam as well as various lesser known religious traditions. Like others did, the Apostle Paul highlighted Abraham's life as exemplary. He once wrote about Abraham's great faith by citing the experience of him being told he was to become a father - at 100 years old. This was many years after having first been told he was to become the father of nations. Even nowadays, with all the advances in medicine, it would still be amazing to hear of a centenarian and his "barren" 90 year old wife conceiving.

Yet Abraham was not only full of years, he was also full of faith. Once he had understood the actuality of the expected child, he completely trusted God's promise, despite everything that would say it was impossible. Paul describes Abraham's faith in the New Testament, Romans 4:20, 21.

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

There is surely a lesson here for us. All received wisdom would stand against the prospect of a child being born under these conditions. But Abraham was not the least wavering in his trust. As with God Himself, Abraham in like manner acted as if it had already happened. He gave glory to God for having received the promised blessing.

Paul's phrase emphasising the totally of trust is enlightening: "being fully persuaded". If God were to tell you that some problem will all work out right, can you be so fully persuaded as to act like you know it will? If you worry about a past sin, do you sufficiently trust those called and set apart to assist you, so that in due course it becomes "remembered no more"? If the Prophet gives counsel that applies to you, is your faith firm enough to take it in?

I hope that we can grow towards total trust in God. I pray our faith becomes strong like Abraham's.

Samuel.

Zeal as a motivation for good

Dear friend

If someone were to call you a zealot you might not be too happy. Zealots were a sect among the Jews who were known for their strict focus on the law. Their determination in this direction has led to a negative connotation to the name zealot. It is rarely a compliment.

However, the scriptures are very encouraging of zeal as a characteristic. For example from the New Testament, Galatians 4:18.

18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

The Apostle Paul clearly approves of zeal as a motivating force. I think his generic "good thing" category of potential positive activities can refer to such uses of our time as regular prayer, scripture study, giving service to others, or any other "good" pursuit.

The etymology of zeal includes Middle English, late Latin and Greek, as well as biblical sources. It is described as fervour, ardent love, or longing in relation to some type of pursuit. That doesn't sound too negative. In fact, we could maybe all do with this kind of unfailing commitment to continuing in Paul's good things.

Without using the word zeal, I believe this verse encapsulates the spirit of righteous zeal. It is from Doctrine and Covenants 58:27.

27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

I believe it is central to the reasons for our being on the earth that we are anxious to do good works. If we follow Jesus Christ then we must recognise that is what He did everywhere He went. I think there are more good things we could choose to do than there is time to do them. So it should be easy to find good activities to pursue to use up our time on earth.

I hope we can become positively zealous when it comes to doing the good things. This doesn't mean we become obsessive or self-righteous. We should try to develop an infectious zeal that motivates others. Zeal is good for doing good.

Samuel.

Our God can ease our burdens

Dear friend

The third book of Moses, Leviticus, is full of priestly instruction about sacrifices, ordinances and living under the Law of Moses. It was aimed at the ancient Children of Israel. The Lord offered them great blessings if they would obey His commandments. They were to be an holy nation in a holy homeland, whose religious rituals pointed to the Atoning One, the ultimate sacrificial Lamb.

Within all the detail on offerings and ceremonial there is a passage that I believe can easily be applied to us, all these years later. It is from the Old Testament, Leviticus 26:9, 12, 13.

9 For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.
...
12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
13 I am the Lord your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.

I think these verses include a renewed commitment to the Abrahamic Covenant, especially the wording of verse 12. If we have accepted Christ as our Saviour, I believe we have part in this; He will be our God too. The Lord promises to ensure our efforts are fruitful by enhancing our capacity ("I will multiply you"). This could be interpreted as relating to material prosperity or population growth, but I think it is just as relevant to individual spiritual development. Indeed that kind of fruitfulness is perhaps of greatest value.

I love how He says He will walk with us. Isn't it preferable on a dark cold night to have someone walk beside us, just as at other times when we feel vulnerable or need our spirits lifted?

The Lord reminds the Israelites how He rescued them from bondage in Egypt. I especially love the phrase "I have broken the bands of your yoke". For us it is not about slavery to Egyptian overlords. For us that yoke could be sin, sorrow, trials, troubles, illness or ignorance. If we are bowed down with a burden, our God will remove it, or make it tolerable. The result is that we can "go upright". We can stand up, with appropriate humility, having confidence through divine decree.

I hope we can gain the benefits of obedience and covenants, for they are great. I pray God's presence strengthens us and lifts the weight of whatever yoke we may be under at this time.

Samuel.

Milk before meat

Dear friend

Have you ever tasted baby food? It is so bland. I think I would want to stick to milk. Yet most babies can hardly wait to get on to solids. Little do they know the vast array of tastes and flavours, sweet and savoury, that awaits them. Of course the reason for this "baby steps" approach to discovering foodstuffs has to do with their still developing capacity to digest, metabolise and extract nourishment from an increasingly diverse range of food.

The same principles apply to our capacity to learn. There is no value in teaching algebra to a young child who has barely learned to count. If the more complex concepts are encountered too early it may only serve to confuse and put off prospective mathematicians. The same applies to gospel knowledge. This concept is taught using a similar analogy in Doctrine and Covenants 19:21, 22.

21 And I command you that you preach naught but repentance, and show not these things unto the world until it is wisdom in me.
22 For they cannot bear meat now, but milk they must receive; wherefore, they must not know these things, lest they perish.

I see the essential (milky) elements of the gospel - being those that are necessary for salvation - as simple, plain and easy enough for an accountable child to grasp. Repentance is a good example of a fundamental facet of our faith. Seraphim wings are not essential.

Many people have made it their business to attack true Christian beliefs. They delve into doctrines that require more than just a good vocabulary to comprehend. They lack the spiritual language to cognise supernaturally, so of course it looks like foolishness. Similarly, those investigating the Church with a view to entering in the strait gate must understand the first principles first. Learning the mysteries of Godliness should come only after a solid foundation in basic teachings is established.

Personally I love learning new doctrine and related information. It colours and consolidates my confidence in primary truths. But we must always link new knowledge back to the basics. Our cornerstone should be Christ, not the meaning of ancient Hebrew poetry forms.

Let's both learn and explain in the first instance, and thereafter, what really matters. I hope we will still enjoy the gospel milk so that we can be better able to digest, metabolise and extract nourishment from other gospel learning. I pray that we put first things first, be loyal to the basics and only then seek to deepen our understanding.

Samuel.

Remembrance: respecting "soldiers"

Dear friend

Standing silently at a war memorial today, I was thinking of my grandfather who died and was buried in a field in France at the end of the Second World War. It was a cold, damp and overcast day; probably both then as now. Fallen leaves were strewn on the ground, left to lay where they landed. A crow provided an ambient craw to add to the atmosphere of funereal poignancy. Remembrance Sunday has its very own texture and mood.

There is a rather overused descriptor for soldiers and the like; it's "heroes". While many acts of selfless bravery certainly occur during active service, most military people I've spoken with seem reluctant or reticent about adopting the label. But be they heralded heroes or simply men and women "doing their duty", surely it is fitting to dedicate a few minutes to remember and give thanks for the sacrifice of those who didn't return.

Later I spent time looking up scriptures and quotes about war, soldiers and battles. I rediscovered a passage in the New Testament, 2 Timothy 2:1-4.

1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

The Apostle Paul referred to young Timothy as a soldier, even a good soldier, a soldier of Jesus Christ. The duty of these soldiers is to please the One who chose him/us to be just such a recruit. The main weapon is strength derived from Grace. The experience includes enduring "hardness" (afflictions, vexations). I think the analogy works well.

Can we appropriately and respectfully apply the designation of soldier to ourselves? I think so. The battle is not to the death, but to life, eternal life. And our mission is to endure so as to please our Commander.

Samuel.

Putting an end to war

Dear friend

There has never been a time in my life when there was not some part of the world at war. Although I've not experienced the condition of actual "world war", it sometimes feels like the people of the earth cannot resist fighting or attacking each other.

The horror of war is surely something we wish mankind could progress beyond. However we cannot avoid the inevitability of conflict if we believe prophecy and scripture; especially as it relates to the latter days. We can, though, draw comfort from the inspired visionary, Isaiah, who saw beyond the conflicts of the last days. One of his prophecies on this subject is found in the Old Testament, Isaiah 2:2-5.

2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Verse 4 is especially pertinent. Following the reestablishment of the Lord's earthly Kingdom in preparation for His glorious return in judgement, a time will come thereafter when there will be no more war. Weapons will be useless. Armies will be redundant. War will finally be resigned to history. This is certainly a condition to be anticipated with relish; no wars, anywhere.

I hope we can strive to be peace loving and peace making in our actions and attitudes, despite the rest of the world's warlike tendencies. We should pray for peace, at least at the individual level, if not yet globally. I believe we can prepare now to no more "learn war" as we determine to "walk in the light of the Lord".

Samuel.

The relief of resurrection

Dear friend

Few doctrines are more fundamental than the doctrine of universal or multiversal resurrection. It is perhaps the gospels' greatest good news that death is not the end and the future is unlimited; and all because of Jesus Christ.

But often we exclude the eternal from our thinking, not because it's not important, but because we're just so busy with the challenges of daily living. We go through mortality suffering bodily pains and incapacities while we yet struggle to provide for our needs "by the sweat of our brow". We frequently experience stresses, inner turmoils and periods of sadness. Our mortally-imperfect bodies and our carnally-veiled minds are prone to injury, weakness and sin. Life sure can be tough sometimes; and then there's the bit about dying.

If we occasionally entertain this somewhat melancholic mindset, know this, it is common to Man. The Apostle Paul very beautifully explained the principles behind the end game of this estate in which we find ourselves. His words are found in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 15:53-57.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I think Paul's description of mortality as "this corruptible" is apostolically accurate. Both our body and the spirit housed within are susceptible to being corrupted, blemished, imperfect, unworthy. Truly the deficits of death and degradation are paid for through a most victorious and unbeatable Champion.

Yes, there is a sting to death and that is sin. Sin makes us fearful of death, or more particularly, of the judgements following therefrom. Thanks be forever to the Father for the sacrifice of His Son. Because of Him our body and spirit will attain conjoined immortality, and if the judgements arising from sin have been assuaged, then that immortality can be elevated to exaltation.

I hope we can readily recall the eternal perspective, particularly when life gets tough. I pray that we retain a sense of how wonderful it will feel to be free from mortal malfunctions and mental manacles, because of Him.

Samuel.

Faithless friends (but not forever)

Dear friend

It can be downright frustrating when the conversation moves to faith or religion and your non-believing friend quickly closes their mind before you even get started with explaining things properly. Your sacred thoughts, your testimony, your insights simply don't penetrate the walls of doubt, scepticism, humanism or naturalism. There are just so many recycled arguments against all things spiritual, scriptural and supernatural. They say religion is nothing more than a contrived crutch to lean on when our world doesn't make sense. It comforts us when forced to contemplate the finality of our mortality, they say. Life after death is no more than a way of placating our presentiments, they say. They say the scientific method is the only determinant of truth.

Although we may think that rising numbers of non-religionists is a modern phenomenon, it was not unknown in former times too. This is an example from the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 26:2, 3.

2 They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ.
3 And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened.

There is no single reason for hardhearted irreligious thinking in the individual. Satan has become increasingly skilled at dissuading people from believing. He'll do anything if it results in a soul distancing himself or herself from accepting the existence of God. It's always the devil who diverts people from the Divine. The only time he wants Christ's name on our lips is when it is used in vain.

Sure there are many many good people who "don't do God", and yes they often live fulfilling, contributing, purposeful lives. But there are also many who simply don't want to be restricted by religious requirements and the regimes of righteousness; even if they have a sort-of sense of a spiritual something. Non-belief can be the intellectualised excuse for heedless hedonism, the justification for indulgence.

Growing up in a godless world has produced a population of spiritual illiterates. That is not meant as a slur, but an observation about communal language loss. The stubbornly faithless friend may not have the vocabulary to respond reflectively ("they could not understand the word of God"). The lexicon of the Spirit in not restricted to mere words. It includes unvocalised impressions, sudden strokes of pure knowledge, burning bosoms, dreams, visions, tingles, flashes, feelings and faith. Those without the terminology of testimony cannot be expected to turn Godward if they haven't yet developed the competence.

So I hope we can be patient with our friends. Maybe we just need to exemplify more what we espouse without overt verbal evangelising. Our everyday conversations can be naturally infused with our spiritual selves. There is power in patience. We can demonstrate the benefits of living the Christian creed. That will invite the honest seeker to elect themselves in response to supernal preparation in the Lord's time and through the Lord's various means. After all, isn't that the unimposed way God works with us as well?

Samuel.

Don't seek for signs

Dear friend

"Red sky at night, shepherd's delight. Red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning." (Some say it should be "sailor's".) As a rough weather forecast this rhyme has been around a very long time. Meteorologists can even explain how it really does work, so long as you are in the right country (such as the UK with prevailing westerly winds).

Not everyone knows that a form of these couplets actually appears in the New Testament. The Lord referred to it during His rebuke of those who came to him seeking a sign. The event is found in Matthew 16:1-4.

1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

I can just picture the unholy alliance of the pedantic Pharisees and the elitist Sadducees. These theological enemies were brought together with the common aim of decrying He who claimed to be the Christ. They wanted a sign, a miracle, some spiritual showmanship.

We may look down on these hypocritical hypothesisers, but do we ever "tempt" God to give us a sign, our own mini-miracle? I think it's very important not to try to force the Spirit or to presume/pretend a portent.

The red sky reference allowed the Lord to illustrate how readily available are many signs. This is how it is with most of God's guideposts. They are in plain sight so long as we have eyes to see them, rather than acting like the gainsaying generation.

I hope we will avoid adulterating our adoration by sign-seeking. Instead, let us watch and pray in patient faith for Deity's denotations.

Samuel.

On being rich

Dear friends

Do you think if you were rich it would change you, honestly? Here are two passages on wealth that are worth us weighing them up. The first is from the New Testament, Mark 10:17-22.

17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

The second is from the Book of Mormon, Jacob 2:17-19.

17 Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.
18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.
19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.

What are the lessons from these two passages about prosperity? Rich people can recognise God just like anyone else, and seek to worship Him. Rich people may well keep all the commandments related to personal purity and worthiness. Rich people are loved by God too (but not because of their riches). Rich people don't automatically have everything ("one thing thou lackest"). Being rich is not a sin in itself. Wealth is for sharing (like every gift or blessing from God). Seek God first, then seek riches, if you want them, and do it to do good.

I hope we will pay attention to this priceless prescription for prudence. I pray we will gain gratefully and give graciously. We'll be all the richer if we do.

Samuel.

Jesus is our Rabbi

Dear friend

Jesus Christ was, on a small number of occasions, referred to as "Rabbi" which is to say, a teacher. More often He was called by the name students normally gave their teachers, that is, "Master".

These verses, coming from the episode of Jesus selecting from among His disciples those who would become His Apostles, are illustrative. They are found in the New Testament, John 1:38, 49.

38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
...
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Clearly Nathanael recognised Christ as much more than just a teacher. He saw His divine sovereignty. However, the title rabbi has never been more appropriately applied than it was when it was attached to the Lord.

Yes, a rabbi was a Jewish teacher and scholar, particularly of the Torah. The Torah, or sometimes Pentateuch, included at least the first five books of Moses. It was the main reference point of Jewish law. Who better than Jesus Christ to be the Master of the Law; the One who would go on to fulfil it and replace it's outward ordinances and ceremonies?

The title rabbi derives from the Hebrew word "rabi" meaning "my master". And in this sense the word "master" literally means "great one". Who better than Jesus Christ to be thought of as the Great One? Surely He was and is the Greatest.

Another use of the word rabbi refers to someone who has undergone training so they can make decisions concerning the Law, to perform ceremonies and to lead a congregation. Who better than Jesus Christ to decide, to perform, and to lead?

When we think of Jesus; as we should do often; let us include a vision of Him as our Rabbi, our Teacher, our Master. I pray we will regularly enjoy reverent wonderment in our being followers of the Greatest person ever to live on earth. He was and is the Master Teacher.

Samuel.

He speaks to each of us personally

Dear friend

Some people will write down a spiritual experience in a journal. Another may speak it and someone else records the incident. In a very small number of cases a person's sacred communications with God are received and recorded when the Lord speaks to a person through one of His prophets. Such revelations might well become a matter of scripture.

This was exactly the case with John Whitmer. The record is revealing about how God responds to our petitions to Him. It is found in Doctrine and Covenants 15:1-6 (being the whole section).

1 Hearken, my servant John, and listen to the words of Jesus Christ, your Lord and your Redeemer.
2 For behold, I speak unto you with sharpness and with power, for mine arm is over all the earth.
3 And I will tell you that which no man knoweth save me and thee alone
4 For many times you have desired of me to know that which would be of the most worth unto you.
5 Behold, blessed are you for this thing, and for speaking my words which I have given you according to my commandments.
6 And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen.

Consider what this insight helps us understand about how the Divine develops us. God's willing volunteers are called His servants. But the Lord we serve is also our Redeemer from being servants to sin.

He knows everything about us, including what only we know about ourselves. Our Father is aware of all our prayers, even the ones we think have gone unanswered. If our desires are righteous that alone makes us already worthy of His blessings, before having actually achieved.

The actual answer to John Whitmer's personal question is informative to us all. The most valuable work we can do is to declare repentance and invite souls to come unto Jesus Christ. The promised blessing is to be with these souls as forever friends in the Father's Kingdom.

There may never be scripture with our name on it, but I hope we recognise when we receive God's word for us. Whatever that word is, it will always come to us with a promise.

Samuel.

Spiritual songs teach and admonish

Dear friend

I see music as one of the most effective ways of expressing thoughts, impressions and feelings. It has a language of its own. Musical notation even looks like another form of language. It certainly is a way of communicating. Alone, music can create images in our minds and stir emotions in our heart; at least as much as the written or spoken word. Music can affect us deeply, such as by lightening our mood, getting us to feel patriotic, or bringing memories flooding back to us. When combined with suitable lyrics, good music can inspire social movements, cause introspective reflection, or even be the catalyst for a marriage proposal.

For a few years I've felt like I don't sufficiently appreciate the potential power of spiritual music as a way to worship more profoundly, or to receive divine instruction - tied in with greater emotion to make it stick. Some idea of the value of music to the Christian life is found in this verse from the New Testament, Colossians 3:16.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Have you ever thought of gospel-inspired music as a teaching tool or an admonishing adage? The Apostle Paul is instructing us about how psalms, hymns and other religious music help us to learn and live the gospel.

Even some of the words associated with music are applicable to a gospel context, such as harmony and unison. I feel a desire to make more use of good music to create an atmosphere that encourages spirituality, harmony and peace.

What a wonderful gift to the world music is. I hope we can enjoy good music so that God's word will "dwell in you richly in all wisdom" - a lovely thought. I pray we not only have a prayer in our heart, but also a good song, "singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

Samuel.

In the Garden of Gethsemane

Dear friend

If ever there was a passage of scripture that should be pondered over and over, it is surely the account of the Lord praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. There is so much to learn and to love. There are so many inspiring insights that allow us access to the divine nature. The words lead us to adore the Saviour more and more. One version is from the New Testament, Luke 22:39-44.

39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Luke says He "went, as he was wont". So Jesus had a special place where he liked to go to speak with His Father. Maybe we should have a special prayer place too?

As with the exemplary "Lord's Prayer", at this critical time He reminds His escorting disciples to pray to avoid temptation. Isn't that counsel still so relevant, so fundamental?

Jesus prayed to His Father in like manner to our praying; on His knees. He understood the enormity and universally unique trial He was about to face and asked if He could avoid it. We too don't always get out of our trials when we ask. Jesus willingly submitted to the Father's will. Do we?

The Father sent an angel, someone to help Jesus through the struggle. He will do the same for us if we need it.

He "prayed more earnestly". What a thought! Even Christ could discover a deeper well within Himself to draw from. Do we know how to dig deep in prayer when things get tough?

The agony caused a physical reaction. Do our worries (or sins) make us ill sometimes? The body and the spirit are intimately intertwined.

I hope we will return often to God's garden to share that moment with Him. Of all the places we might go to discover Him, this is where we learn of Him at His most vulnerable and at His most powerful.

Samuel.

Secret giving seen by God

Dear friend

I don't think any spoken word can compare with the Lord's Sermon on the Mount. It's simple beauty and craft, it's profundity, and it's wholly understated power makes it peerless.

It is a great source of doctrine and a dwellingplace for our minds as we attempt to discern the divine. One visually stimulating vignette from the sermon is found in the New Testament, Matthew 6:1-4.

1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

"Alms" means food, money or clothing given to assist the poor and needy. The word comes through Middle and Old English, from Latin too, originating in the Greek term "eleemosune". It is associated with concepts like compassion, pity, charity and mercy.

However it is done - through banking arrangements or simply placing a coin in an upturned cap - the challenge is to do it discretely. If "found out" I hear some people defending their giving, and then others defending their non-giving. This is meant to be a private matter, and clearly it works best when kept that way.

It cannot be right to let it be discovered that we give and so attract approval, then also expect to be approved again at the judgement bar; paid twice, so to speak. How wise of the Lord to ensure our gifts are given for only the highest of motives by His insistence on secrecy. Of course it's not really gift-giving since nothing is ours to give. It is fair-sharing through the pure love of Christ.

I hope we can all feel the sweet inner joy from privately helping a brother or sister. However the openly rewarded blessing from God comes, let us accept it gratefully, quietly and humbly.

Samuel.

Who is to blame?

Dear friend

When things don't work out, what do you do? One common reaction is to look for something or someone to blame. It could be a new job, a team selection, a college course, or a relationship.

In the scriptures there is an extended analogy about faith being like a seed. The seed is the word of God planted in our hearts. If the right conditions exist the seed grows into a sapling tree, or an emerging faith in the word. It suggests the original seed was a good one. Picking up at the point of the new tree, the story continues in the Book of Mormon, Alma 32:38, 39.

38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.
39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.

The plan or desire to get fruit from the tree didn't work out. But it wasn't because the tree was no good. Despite the effort to plant the seed and see it grow into a young tree, that effort or interest or initial care waned. Yet it would not be a surprise if the planter blamed the tree or the seed or the ground or the weather. The normal response is to duck responsibility, to push the failure away from ourselves.

I believe this applies to other situations in life, not just gardening or testing the truth of God's word. When things don't work out the tendency is to look outward not inward. We (try to) convince ourselves it was the other person, it was bad luck, or fatalistically it was "not to be".

I hope when things go wrong we will recognise that there are some trials we bring on ourselves. It might do us good to honestly and humbly check to see if we did all we could. I pray that if we ask "Is it I?", and it is, we make the changes.

Samuel.

When Jesus marvelled

Dear friend

When was the last time you were caused to marvel at something you saw or heard? It could have been a strikingly designed building, an exquisite work of art, or a super-smart piece of technology. Maybe you marvelled at a stage illusionist presenting an inexplicable magic trick.

To marvel means to be filled with wonder and astonishment at something or someone. The person or object may be called a marvel. Every so often something or someone will catch our breath and make us marvel.

I remember reading about two incidents of the Lord marvelling. At the time I thought, 'how is that possible?' The first is the inspirational story of the centurion seeking a blessing for his servant from Jesus. Christ's reaction to the humility of the request is found in the New Testament, Matthew 8:10.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

With all His insights into the human mind, with his knowledge of things past, present and future, with His capacity for discernment, the Lord was still caused to marvel at this man's faith. The thought made me marvel.

The second incident relates to Christ in His home town, His saving work is stifled at almost every turn by the collective apathy of familiarity. To them he was just the carpenter. It comes from Mark 6:5.

6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

In both incidents I believe we should avoid confusing marvelling with surprise; at least when it comes to the Lord. We too can know beforehand how spectacular a thing is likely to be, but it still causes the wide eyes of wonder.

I think it is great that we have the capacity to marvel, even as Jesus did. Just imagine the marvel when we get to enter the Celestial Kingdom and sit at our Father's throne.

I hope you can feel the marvellous love of God for you. I pray that one day Jesus will also marvel at your great faith.

Samuel.