Safety and Security in Covenants Mosiah 18:10

Penny is waiting for me as we take a walk through the back woods near our home.
The fall color has begun to paint itself upon the landscape. Nov 2013

I’m sitting in my writing chair. My walking companion of nearly twelve years now is tucked in close beside me, her long red nose, peppered with white is resting on my knee. She is patiently waiting for me to rise from my morning scripture time to walk with her.  I’m sure she is dreaming about the scent of rabbits or the adventure of a chase. Every now and again her deep restful breathing will change and she will raise her head and sigh deeply as if to say, “I’m here, but can we go yet?” I have promised to walk her, she has promised to make sure I get my exercise and to protect me. 

Her presence comforts me. I am aware of the safety in her friendship and as I watch her warm body rising and falling to the rhythm of life, I am reminded of her loyal companionship. As long as her mortal body will allow, she will not leave my side. She will come to me daily for love and to remind me of my daily need for friendship.  Her role in our family is to offer not only love but also protection. 

Now I reach my long fingers behind her ears and scratch them until her ears flop loosely atop her head. As I read I let my fingers move in circles on her shoulders. I hear her audible sigh of contentment.  There is a level of trust and understanding that exists between us. She helps me see how good friendships bring safety, how loyalty is love, and how trust is security.  

So I begin to think about the scriptures and what they bring to me. I begin to think about friendships and how good friendships and family ties bring me safety and security. I begin to see that each of us wants this from life, safety in our relationships with one another, the ideal that we can enjoy peace and loyalty in our friendships.

As I read my scriptures I was reminded about Abraham and how fearful life was for him. Wanting not only security from the lack of civility in a lawless and fearsome world, Abraham sought peace through the covenants of Lord. He sought to have a family that followed the counsel and laws of God. Nephi, who understood and lived by the covenants of Abraham wanted all of his family to feel of this safety, but he too had to leave the land of his inheritance to flee from his brother’ hatred. It seems that security cannot be found in the selfish ways of the world, but must first come in understanding the laws of God.

It’s time for me to rise and exercise my body. My dog loves the idea and now sits ready at the door, waiting for me to put my shoes on, to gather her leash and to fulfill my promise to her.

I realize that family is about promises. Promises we make with God, who is our measure of integrity and promises we make to one another. But of what use is the promise to one another if we love not God. If we love money, or idols or fame or any other fleeting promise what safety is secure?

That is why I walk my dog, because she has trusted me to love her and her love brings safety and security to my long day ahead. That too is why I read the words of God’s holy prophets, because they too bring an eternal perspective to the safety and security of my day. They help me understand the eternal importance of my family and the security and strength that their presence brings to my existence

.Mosiah 18: 10  Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

Gratitude 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I love sunsets.Do you know what makes a beautiful sunset? Clouds. The darkest clouds bring the most vibrant of color. I like to think that sunsets are how God takes the conflicts and the darkest moments of our day and frames them with his divine light. We first think that the day is ending but in reality if we follow the color,, the color that is created by the reflection of the sun's rays, His sun, it will lead us into another glorious day of brightness and hope. I like to think that a beautiful sunset, bathed in deep reds and oranges, framed by majestic hues of purple is not and ending, but God's way of reflecting his love across the horizon of all of our tomorrows. 

In our bodies we shall see God. 2 Nephi 9

I pulled the dripping green wand upward from the small plastic bottle, puckered my lips and blew. Oodles of bubbles swam dreamily through the air between my thirteen month old grandson and I.  I watched as his face froze in amazement. He gasped and then his little voice began to trill a series of staccato giggles.  I’m not sure who was more amazed, he or I?  I saw him tremble with delight and then stomp his feet.  As his giggles grew louder, the sounds of his pleasure soon filled the room with raw delight.

Just a few moments before, while searching for something to ward off his boredom, I had discovered the unopened bottle of bubbles. I   He was both amazed and bewildered, over-joyed and mystified, happy for the opportunity to touch one, so round and shiny and new, and then sad when with a barely audible pop they disappeared.  By touching the fingertips of both of his hands together, he signed his desire, “more, more”.  I laughed and laughed and then took another breath and blew.

I had not realized that this was the first time he had seen bubbles. He took queue from our dogs Penny and Hobbes and began trying first to touch them and then to eat. 

Bubbles.  They are something to behold aren’t they? They are magical, light, and beautiful. They swim through the air, and in the right circumstances we can both see, hold and dance with them. They are transparent, wet, colorful mirrors of the air around us.  

And they fill us with wonder. They remind us that we need our bodies to experience joy.

Watching my young grandson experience joy for the first time helped me recognize on a deeper level, the purpose of our bodies. I see my grandson explore, touch, think, ponder, and reach for every new experience that his parents and grandparents will allow. I watch daily as his language, physical strength, and love for all of his surroundings grows. And I consider the time I have here on earth.

Jacob taught the people about their time on earth and how they too could experience not just a fleeting joy but also a more eternal joy. He says that he has read the words of Isaiah so that they might know of the covenants of God and understand that because of God’s great love for us, he wants to bless us so that when we die we will see Him.  He wants them to understand that our bodies are our connection to God and to eternal joy. He spoke about spiritual laws that bind us to heaven and to earth.  He taught, “In our bodies we shall see God.”(vs 4)

When I read these verses for the umpteenth time… I’ve read it, I’ve been taught it in Sunday school, I’ve probably even taught it, … this time I had to stop and consider that I’ve never considered that for all those who have passed on, for all of my deceased family members, the plan of salvation allows them to stand on the day of their judgment in a resurrected body.  I had to think about this because in my mind I have this picture of my body remaining in the earth. I had to question? … How many resurrected beings do I know? And remember that all of the prophets of Jesus Christ have taught that in our bodies we shall see God.

So I considered this marvelous chapter in 2 Nephi and I read about the plan for those who have not known God and I read about those who know God and rebel. And for all of them..  they shall see God in their bodies. As I read I considered my grandson’s joy and I considered how important our bodies are!

These verses helped me realize the importance of bodies, of temple work for those who are separated from their bodies, and for missionary work.  And, it made me love my body more.

It means that the temple work we do is so that when they stand before God, they will have the opportunity to stand within a clean body: one that has been baptized and given the opportunity to utilize the power of the Holy Ghost.

Resurrection is for every body. It is for all who have lived on the earth or who will ever live on the earth. It is part of God’s great plan of happiness. If we are resurrected back into our bodies, now is the time for us to learn to love our bodies and accept them as the gift that they are.

I love my body. It is not as thin as the models on the tabloid magazines, but it is healthy. I cannot eat all that the world would tempt me with for it does not bounce back from glutinousness bouts of frenzied eating, but I can still enjoy the aroma and tastes of cinnamon apples. When I look into the mirror the image no longer reflects a youthful smile, but it walks gracefully beside my eternal companion.  As I have aged it has continually increased my bodily limitations: it does not run without pain, it requires and I mean requires eight hours of regular sleep, though it still enjoys exercise it rebels at the mention of excessive exercise, it creaks in new places and causes me to slow down even when my mind wants to move, move, move. But as the years have progressed, I have learned to love my body more.

Having a body… what was the Lord thinking? Consider how all that we know comes from our body: the sweet smell of lilac on a spring day or the sound of a rhythmic rain storm, the way colors magically turn into happiness, the way a tender touch upon our arm warms our heart and how when we reach out to hold a loved ones hands it connects generations, and the way well prepared foods burst their flavors into memories.  Joy comes to us because of our bodies. 

When our spirits learn to appreciate all that our bodies offer as testimony to God’s love, we then begin to open up to the possibility of eternal joy.

"Look unto the rock from whence ye are hewn" 2 Nephi 8 Isaiah 51,52

Our rock is strong and steady. It casts upon our world the light of  God's law. 

Yesterday I received an email from my brother. His grandson had become very ill and was not responding to traditional treatment. His email requested that our family include his family members (grandson and parents) in our prayers and because it was the first Sunday of the month, also in our family fast.

My brother was looking unto the rock from when we were all hewn. Our family has great strength because of our testimony in the Lord Jesus Christ. He understood that our combined faith could only add strength to his own. His email and this reading from 2 Nephi 8 made me reflect on our families rock.

One line is nearly 100 % Scottish and as such as given us the strength through a culture that values friendships and faith. My Grandmother Conkey was a woman that used her great moral authority to be a powerful force in the community. When I think of her and look to her example, my resolve to do more, to do better is strengthened.  I am reminded of how she "knew righteousness," and how the Lord had written his law upon her heart. (vs7) She never feared the reproach of men nor was she afraid of their reviling(s). (vs 7) Instead, she led the efforts to build a State Park, to improve her small farm community, and to encourage her husband to run for public office. In a day and time when women did not have many educational opportunities, she formed a women's social group that met solely to improve their lives through education.  She also helped others in need and through her smile and love for each of us, instilled a bright "gladness and joy."

My Grandfather Conkey's line, also nearly 80% Scottish also has taught me to "put on the strength and arm of the Lord." His faith in me was unfettered. I still have numerous letters of encouragement from him urging me to express my voice, to write and experience the joy of the creativity. His life was not easy and though he never formerly proclaimed his allegiance to religious faith, his life speaks to differ. Through perseverance and faith in one another, he and grandmother built their own Eden from the Michigan wetlands. They established the base for my father's family history work, created strong family ties between their children and showed all of us how to find the joy midst the angst of hard work. What I remember most about him was how his love for my grandmother stood above all other loves and desires in his life. His example of faith and devotion to her is a rock we all attempt to emulate.

My grandmother taught me that women
 have within them the power of a great moral force. 

Other family lines bring their own stories of faith. Each family has it's own rock to which we may look as we journey out into the pathways of our lives. My mother's line stands strong with English and German rocks. These stories bring renewed commitment and remind us of our God given strengths and gifts. Some family rocks stand taller and stronger, but no matter the strength or the height each has its own purpose. Isaiah helps us remember to remember the solid foundation that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ brings to our lives.  Isaiah wanted us to remember that the God of Abraham brings us security, comfort, joy, gladness, strength and above all eternal salvation.

In the illness of their child, my niece had a need that made us reflect on our own immortality and the struggles of life.  Recognizing the strength that comes from a family of faith, they realized the strength of their own rock was being tested. Rather than trying to withstand their trials alone, they chose to utilize the strength of their parental rock. Her parent then utilized the strength of the extended family rock. We all responded with our own prayers and faith imparted for their behalf. The power of prayer knows no distance.

Isaiah wrote prophecies for all time

This particular section of 2 Nephi has been taken from Isaiah 51 and 52. Nephi wanted his brethren to understand their relationship to Abraham and Sarah and remember the foundation of their families strength. Isaiah reminds us that Abraham and Sarah were once in need, once considered a waste place, a wilderness, but the Lord comforted them. (vs 3) I was reminded of their story and how Sarah struggled to conceive, how in more ways than one the Lord brought this first family of faith safety, comfort, thanksgiving, how he dried the red seas (vs10), and made the waves roar for them, for us.(vs15)

Yesterday in Fast and Testimony meeting our Bishop remarked on the importance of viewing life through an eternal lens. Isaiah speaks to this and reminds us how the Lord's "righteousness shall be forever and my salvation from generation to generation."

Prayer helps us draw strength from our rock of faith

As I thought about this next generation and how our family has chosen to be "redeemed of the Lord,"(vs 11) I realized the great blessings and joy that our family has received because of this great rock of faith that we have been hewn from. I realized the great strength that we have garnered first from the Lord and secondly from our beloved family members. I am grateful to family who have chosen to remember "lift their eyes to the heavens," and who "wait pun the lord and put their trust in his arm." (vs 5)

I realized that Isaiah knew our day. He understood that the Lord's law will be a "light for the people." (vs 4) He knew that the eternal path of righteousness leads us out of the desert and into the garden.  A garden wherein a rock of great stature stands. A rock that we all were hewn from and from whence flows the fountain of eternal life.

“And the Lord is near” 2 Nephi 7 Isaiah 50

 

"The Lord is at hand"

My daughter keeps a blog about her families activities and lessons they share with one another. Recently she posted on the importance of faith and doubt. She commented how doubt is a part of being human. President Uchtdorf spoke on this subject last fall in General Conference and taught how we should “doubt our doubts” before we doubt the Lord.

"the Lord is nigh"

Doubts seem to come when trials darken our paths, when strength weakens or social acquaintances thin, or when clouds of gloom block our eternal perspective. But we must remember that we do have light if we will but open our eyes and cast them upward.  We can find God's light and spark our own light by learning “set our face like a flint.” (v7)(Isaiah 50:7) Isaiah’s reference means that we can be determined to see God’s love and to follow through on our commitment to God as God has followed through on his commitment to us.

Living for the Lord requires strength and determination. The views of the world infuse every aspect of our lives; they don’t have to be sought out, for they come to us in a myriad of ways. The Lord’s love, however, no matter how subtle and constant its influence may be, must be answered by a welcoming heart. For those who have sense to perceive, it grows in the trees, rides in the breeze, sings on the bird’s song and finds passage to our heart through the gift of service or the familiar echo of truth’s testament.

Isaiah spoke of the Lord’s willingness to find presence in our lives.(2Nephi 7). As I read this chapter and reread Isaiah’s words that spoke of the Messiah, I began to think of how our doubts creep into our daily lives and rob us of our access to the Lord’s redemptive power. 

"the Lord is nigh"

Isaiah conveys to us, to Israel, the power of God’s love for us. He helps us to see that when we do not feel God in our life, it is not because he is not there, for he “came,” and “there was no man,” he “called” and “there was none to answer,” (2), and if we are not redeemed it is not because he “has no power to deliver.”

The Lord’s power is omnipotent and omniscient.  As I thought about this I realized that the veil between God and man is only as thin as it needs to be. Not as thick, but as thin. God does not want to keep us apart from Him; he wants to draw us as near to him as he possibly can. By keeping the veil as thin as possible, as thin as it can be, we are able to reach for and call upon the redemptive powers of the Lord. We are able, if we believe and live a life that puts belief before doubt.

I have a dear friend who is going through some very rough times. She has a strong faith in the goodness of man and of God. But this has not availed her in the times of her trial. She is learning of God’s love for her. She is learning that God's love is there to help her discover the strength within.

When I read verse 7 I had to share it with her. I wanted her to believe that the power of God’s love lies within each of us. And that is the beauty of faith; faith builds strength, personal strength that Isaiah speaks of, the kind that helps us overcome our own trials through the redemptive power of the atonement.

When “the Lord is near” and I seek to be near him, I am justified. I am measured full and my shortcomings are forgotten. For the Lord God will help me.  He helps all who seek him, who feel his presence, who understand truth.

But, what about the doubt? What about the world that will condemn me for my faith? Well faith is an eternal gift, for the eternal soul. Those that condemn me for my eternal view and faith in an eternal God who will stand beside me, will wax old and be eaten by the moth. (v9)

 

Sometimes when I walk with nature I feel close to God.. I suppose it's because
I am in the midst of his creations. It's hard to feel alone when you are in awe. 

I think of doubt differently now. It’s purpose is to derail my journey of joy.  I am learning how to doubt my doubts first… before I doubt my faith in the Lord.  I want to be there when he calls, to open my heart to him when he knocks and above all to kindle the sparks of the fire of my testimony upon “my face .. that is .. like a flint.” It is my hope that when darkness comes, and it will come, that I may have the sense to remember that “the Lord is near,” and that it is I that must turn to him to spark the light that will guide me through so that I might feel and know without a doubt of the strength of his love.