Practice makes progress; Jesus makes perfect.

Last week, we reviewed how Jesus told Nicodemus that every man and woman must be born again (see John 3: 3-8). Now, this rebirth is not something that we have power to make happen ourselves. None of us can give birth to ourself.

And while “born again” as a term refers to a likeness of our physical birth into mortality, I believe that it alludes more specifically to our being born the second time spiritually. We are already our Father’s spirit children by birth before this earth life. He sired us. We were spiritual beings then, and relied on our spiritual senses to guide us. But by our coming to earth, receiving a veil of forgetfulness, and due to the effects of the Fall of Man, our spirits have fallen “asleep.” They don’t naturally see and feel, or communicate and do as they once did. Their magnificence and power have been forgotten, confined, and somewhat restricted to what these earthly bodies are capable of doing. But this is the way God wanted it. We have things to experience and learn here in this spiritually harsh environment that we could experience and learn in no other way. (And that’s a whole other topic for another day.)

So, being born again—meaning being born of God again—born spiritually again—is necessary for every one of us…but it is not accomplished in the same way. (We don’t enter again into the spiritual womb, so to speak.)

Therefore, even though we are already God’s spiritual offspring, because of the fact that we fell from the nobility of His eternal world and lost our spiritual connection with Him, we must become spiritually alive sons and daughters again. Each one of us must be spiritually awakened to a “newness of life” (Romans 6: 4), “quickened [or made alive] in the inner man” (Moses 6: 65). Each of our spirits—our inner self—having forgotten all, was now no longer “alive,” or spiritually awake—no longer steering the ship. We would each need to be roused from our spiritual slumber through this second birth.

And who has our Eternal Father chosen to be the doer of this great work in us? None other than the Lord, Jesus! Through His grace and the provisions of His atonement, we are blessed to eventually leave the ranks of natural men and women by becoming the spiritually awake children of Christ! Jesus, who is the only One commissioned of the Father to baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, also becomes the Spiritual Parent. We become His sons and daughters. (See Mosiah 5: 7.)

JESUS AS MOTHER
Now, it is pleasing to think of Jesus as being so personal as to be the Father of our individual rebirth…but, He is also the beautiful image of a mother.

“Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49: 15-16; 1 Nephi 21: 15-16).

A woman who has given birth to her child by cesarean has a lifelong reminder of her baby—the scar on her abdomen. For, every time she notices the scar while showering, getting dressed, etc., she is reminded of her child. Likewise, Christ has reminders of us graven in the palms of His hands.

But obviously, a woman doesn’t need to give birth by cesarean, and have its accompanying scar in order to remember her babies. Her entire body is a receptacle of vivid memories due to the alterations it underwent during those nine months when she carried the child within her. Think of it: the surprise and discomfort of morning sickness; the stop of menstruation; the inconvenient need for frequent urination; the persistent expanding abdomen; the swollen ankles and feet; the strain in her lower back; the shortness of breath; the irritating heartburn; etc., all imprinting mental and physical reminders of the child’s approaching birth. And, what about the remarkable sensation of feeling another living human being move inside you? This is something a man will never experience and a woman will never forget. Then, the birth process itself: the breaking of waters; the emotional anticipation of what’s coming, along with the fear of the unknown (for, each birth can be different); the deep pressure and pain of the contractions; those fatiguing, arduous hours of labor; all culminating in the actual delivery, when the baby comes through the birth canal, crowns, and finally transitions out of its mother to breathe those first breaths. Can a woman really forget any of this? Perhaps the acuteness of the events will soften, just as any pain and difficulty are lessened with time. But she will remember, for it is all indelibly imprinted in her body. And the mother’s care for this child is certainly not over—it only continues to magnify: the persistent need to adequately nurture this completely dependent newborn; the ongoing fatigue due to being up at all hours of the day and night; the physical and emotional bond that occurs during breast feeding, as well as changing diapers, giving baths, etc. Can any woman really forget any of her children, when her own body that carried them is so presently her constant companion?

And so it is with our Savior. He doesn’t need scars in His hands and feet and side to remind Him of His carrying us. I would suggest that His scars are there for our benefit, to remind and assure us of what He did, and His unwavering commitment to each one of us.

Like a mother, He has so much more than scars to remind Him of His spiritual family. He has felt within His own body the twisting and turning of our struggling, writhing spirits; the profound contractions of our personal temptations, failures, humiliations, and disappointments; our exquisite pains and paralyzing sorrows; our suffocating sense of worthlessness, self-loathing, and despair; our repetitive guilt and shame, along with the septic toxicity of our anger, desire for revenge, and hardness of heart. His bowels have been filled with compassion for our loneliness, brokenness, robbed innocence, dashed hopes, and soul-crushing rejection and betrayal. He has felt it all moving within Him, and remembers it in perfection, all the days of our lives. He has carried it all while carrying us. And He will not ever—no never—forget!

And just as a mother, through the process of pregnancy, birth, and beyond, forges an eternal bond with her child, so Christ has forged one with us. And those among us who will take the time to consider and ponder it, will instinctively rejoice and spontaneously fulfill the prophetic word:

“And now…they shall mention the loving kindness of their Lord, and all that he has bestowed upon them according to his goodness…forever and ever. In all their afflictions he was afflicted. And…in his love, and in his pity, he redeemed them, and bore them, and carried them all the days of old” (D&C 133: 52-53).

(to be continued…)

In review, recapping The Nature of Certain Things, part 1, part 2, and part 3, the nature of mortal man is that we are all fallen, all broken, all black sheep, who are prone to wander off and get lost. Our precious Lord, in order to rescue us, must leave His world, and come into this wilderness in search of us. Our spiritual troubles compound when we start to think we are not lost, that we are among the ninety and nine white sheep who need no rescue. According to the Prophet Joseph Smith, when Jesus gave the parable of the lost sheep, it was directed at the Pharisees and Sadducees who despised sinners and criticized Jesus for associating with them. Joseph taught that Jesus was, in essence, saying to them, ‘I am come to save those who are lost. You Pharisees and Sadducees think you are so ‘found,’ so safe in the sheepfold, so righteous; therefore, you will be damned and cannot be saved. You are always comparing yourselves to others: “Great me, little you!”’

No wonder there is so much more joy in heaven over one black sheep who knows he’s lost and gets found, than over ninety and nine persons who think they are so righteous, so white, so worthy, they need no saving. Jesus also gave this parable:

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

“The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

“I fast twice in a week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other” (Luke 18: 10-14).

Justified means to be made righteous in the Lord’s eyes.

The nature of worthiness is that we are all unworthy before God, and our unworthiness should be acknowledged.

The nature of righteousness is not about the abundant volume and variation of our good works, but is so connected with our intent, or the ‘why’ behind those works.

OUR FOCUS
So, my fellow black sheep—children of the Most High—let’s not focus on the works, but let our focus be on our love for the Lord; and I guarantee you, we will do the works because of that honest, grateful love. Don’t be preoccupied with whether you are doing enough of your family history, or enough missionary work, or if you’re attending the temple enough. Rather, be preoccupied with whether you love the Lord with a love that’s deep enough and sincere enough; with a heart that is full, and drawn out in adoration for Him. Ask yourself if you truly feel to “render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that [you] should rejoice” (Mosiah 2: 20, emphasis added). If you come to feel this way, then I tell you, you will do the works! Nothing will be able to keep you from doing the works; and they will be the works of righteousness, whether they be great or small. Remember, a widow’s mite—whether in money or service—given with real intent and love for the Lord adds more to the heavenly kingdom than all the magnificent treasures and gifts cast in without love and full purpose of heart. To these, Jesus will say: “You never knew me.” No wonder our Savior taught in prayer that this is life eternal, that we might know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. (See John 17:3, emphasis added.) Knowing Them is loving Them. And loving Them changes everything for us.

DON’T WAIT
Now, this does not mean—I repeat, this does not mean!—that we should wait until we know and love the Lord before we will go out and do anything that’s good. I have heard people say that they don’t want to be a home teacher because they don’t want to be assigned to love someone. It doesn’t feel honest to them. They feel like they’re pretending to care and they don’t like it. And I commend them for their integrity. But I also say to them that they are focusing on the wrong person. How do they feel towards the Lord? Do they love Him? Do they care for Him and His feelings? Home teaching is His program for the watch-care of His little ones, that they might be remembered, and nourished, and kept in the right way. If you and I really love the Lord, then we will want to help Him take care of His children, whether we know them or not. We will be the day care that He can count on. In this way, it becomes about Him and not about us. It becomes about His heart bursting with love for His family, and our desire to bring joy to that heart of His.

Because of the veil, this is an attitude that is difficult to hold on to. But that is one of the purposes of the journey of our lives—to grow to this celestial view and let it become the motivating cause for everything we do. And the truth is, the more we do out of love for our Lord, the more we will feel a genuine love for our fellowmen, friend and stranger alike.

We are, each one of us, that little lamb He seeks to rescue. May we remember our unworthiness before Him; and may we come to know Him, and love Him in such a way that we will never hear those words from His lips: “Ye never knew me; depart from me ye that work iniquity.”

THE NATURE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

The last two posts, part 1, and part 2, have demonstrated by scriptural and prophetic history, how all mankind, because of the fall, are considered unworthy before God. So if we are all unworthy before Him, if we are—each one of us—the little black sheep that goes astray, then what really is righteousness?

The scripture says: “…he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (D&C 59: 23). But, I ask you, what are the works of righteousness? Some may answer: “The good things, the right things, keeping the commandments, and helping other people.” I think these are pretty good answers. But after much pondering, it appears to me that Lord has something more in mind.

Jesus, speaking of the Day of Judgment, said to the Jews: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Now, these sound like the works of righteousness: prophesying in the Lord’s name; casting out devils, relieving people of the suffering these demons cause; and doing many wonderful works in Jesus’ name.) But Jesus continues: “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7: 22-23). Iniquity? I ask you: How can relieving people who are possessed by devils be iniquity? The Lord has commanded His messengers to cast Satan out of our midst; well, how much more so out of our bodies? How can the Savior call it iniquity here? It makes me think of the Apostle Paul when, speaking of charity, he said: “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor…and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13: 3). Giving up all of your earthly possessions to feed the poor? That sounds like the workings of charity, to me? It sounds like the works of righteousness! But again, the Lord wants something more. So, I ask, are you and I in danger of having our blessed Savior say to us in that day: “Depart from me.” I can hear us now. ‘But, Lord, Lord, wait a minute. Have we not gone home teaching in Your name? Have we not worked in the nursery, Lord? Have we not paid our tithing and gone to the temple, and cleaned the church building on Saturdays, and attended our meetings, and cooked food for the funerals, and given service at Welfare Square? Have we not done so many things in Your name, Lord?’ After all that, are we still in danger of hearing the Lord say to us: “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity”? Well, after some searching and contemplation, I feel like I’m beginning to understand some of these things. For starters, we see that the Prophet Joseph Smith rendered the translation of these verses in Matthew a little differently. Instead of Jesus saying: “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you”, the Joseph Smith Translation has Jesus saying: “And then will I say, Ye never knew me” (JST Matthew 7: 33). Not “I, the Lord Jesus never knew you”—of course He knows us; Jesus knows everything about us—but “You never knew me.” So, let’s say you and I “go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded,” let’s say we do all of these things that appear to us to be the works of righteousness. However, if we don’t know Him, if we don’t do these works because we love Him, and trust Him, and want to honor Him, and show our love and appreciation for Him, as a memorial for Him, will they really be the works of righteousness that He seeks from us? If we do these things out of guilt, or out of fear, or because of pride—wanting to appear righteous in the eyes of others, or just because it’s something our leaders asked us to do, will they really be the works of righteousness that He longs for?

Jesus said: “If a man love me…my Father will love him” (John 14: 23). Now, this could sound like: If you love Jesus, only then will Heavenly Father love you. DON’T BE RIDICULOUS! God’s love for us is not going to waver back and forth because of how we feel toward Him or the Savior. His love will not fluctuate according to how we live our lives. God loved us first. He started love. He is love. The scripture says: “We love [God], because he first loved us” (1 John 4: 19). When the scriptures say that God will love us, they are saying that He will manifest that love to us in a very real way. Jesus said: “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and [my Father and I] will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” Now that is a manifestation of God’s and Christ’s love that I want with all my heart.

REAL INTENT TOWARD GOD
Again, I ask: Do we do these works because we love our Father and our Savior and we want to demonstrate that love to them with our lives? The Jews have an important concept in their praying that relates to this, known as “kavanah.” “Kavanah means to pray with intention and concentration on God’s presence, to ‘know before whom you stand.’ They would say that a prayer without kavanah is worse than not praying at all, because it insults God by not showing him the reverence he deserves.”

The Prophet Mormon spoke of a similar idea when he said: “…if [a man] offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.

“For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness.” (There’s that word again.)

“For behold, if a man…giveth a gift, [and] he doeth it grudgingly…it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God.” (Notice he is counted evil not because of what he did, but because of his intent behind it.)

“And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such” (Moroni 7: 6-9, emphasis added).

Therefore, according to these scriptures, God judges a man and what a man does according to the man’s intent. “They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Joseph Smith–History 1: 19, emphasis added).

And so, in that great and last day, Jesus will say to many who have done many wonderful works in His name: “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

(to be continued…)

THE NATURE OF WORTHINESS

Last week we talked about both the brother of Jared and Alma Sr., and how in their self-assessment, they truly felt unworthy before the Lord.

And so, I say…let’s be honest! Who really is worthy? “To be worthy” in our current English suggests the idea of “meriting” or “deserving.” I ask you, who really is deserving? Sure, we are considered worthy to enter the temple if we abide by certain requirements, but that’s because God doesn’t require us to be like Him to go there. And there are different levels of worthiness. For instance, one can be considered worthy to take the sacrament, but not worthy to go to the temple. One of the requirements of going to the temple is paying a full tithing, but, to my knowledge, the prophets have never told the Saints to refrain from taking the sacrament if they weren’t full tithe payers. We are also promised that if we keep any commandment, we will be worthy to receive the blessings attached to it. But, deserving of those magnificent, heavenly blessings? Worthy? And what about being worthy to come into the presence of the Lord? Who deserves that? Who has merited that? Who of us is really worthy? The truth is we can be considered worthy because of what the Savior did for us. The prophet Enoch, that powerfully righteous man, praying to the Lord said:

“…thou art God, and I know thee,…thou hast made me, and given unto me a right to thy throne, and not of myself, but through thine own grace” (Moses 7: 59).

Even ‘Zionistic, taken to heaven’ Enoch knew that after all the commandments he could and would keep, after all he could do, it was still by the grace of God that he would be saved and have a place in the heavenly kingdom. We, like Enoch, must recognize our unworthiness before the Lord.

ALMA the YOUNGER
Alma’s son, Alma the younger, who followed in his father’s footsteps, both in rebellion and in conversion became the next prophet of the Church. Years later, after ceaselessly laboring to bring souls to Christ, Alma the Younger praised his missionary son Shiblon for his own steadiness, diligence, and faithfulness to God. Shiblon had been put in chains by the Zoramites and was also stoned by them for preaching the word. Alma the Younger, like an admiring father, praised Shiblon for bearing all these persecutions with so much patience, and faith toward God. You can feel Alma’s great approval and joy towards his son, Shiblon. Then at the end of the father-and-son interview, Alma counseled Shiblon: “Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and remember my brethren in mercy—yea, acknowledge your unworthiness before God at all times” (Alma 38: 14). Unworthiness? Shiblon?…the good son?…the one that didn’t go after the harlot!…the one who patiently endured terrible persecution to take the word of God to an apostate people!…Unworthy? Well, according to his father, the prophet, we are all unworthy “before God” and that unworthiness should be acknowledged.

Back to the brother of Jared’s prayer: “O Lord…we know that thou art holy…and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually” (Ether 3: 2). Even when we consider ourselves worthy to take the sacrament, or worthy to go to the temple, do we acknowledge our unworthiness before God? The Book of Mormon teaches us that we should.

AMULEK
Amulek knew that he was that little black sheep. He passionately declared without fear to his own people that he was hardened and fallen and lost and must unavoidably perish except it were through the atonement of Jesus Christ, His Lord. (See Alma 34: 9.)

MORMON
Mormon knew that he was that little black sheep. He taught that he was a fallen man, and if it weren’t for Christ, no good thing could have ever come to him. (See Moroni 7: 24.)

ALL MEN
In Doctrine & Covenants 121: 39, we are told that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, that as soon as they get a little authority, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion. Notice—“the nature and disposition of almost all men”! Some time ago, the thought came to me: I wonder what else it is the nature and disposition of almost all men to do? And when the scriptures speak of men in this way, they aren’t just speaking of the males. They are referring to fallen mankind.

The Book of Mormon tells us that the children of men are foolish, and vain, and evil, and devilish, quick to do iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord; quick to be lifted up in pride, quick to boast, false, unsteady, weak, and unstable. (See Helaman 12: 1, 4, 5.) And you know what? I am one of them. When I was serving as a bishop, I openly called myself the “sinner bishop.” But I have Jesus Christ to help me and love me and forgive me and wash me clean if I will but believe in Him, and put my trust in Him, and seek forgiveness to the end of my days.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians saying that there is no temptation that comes to us, but such as is “common to man.” (See 1 Corinthians 10: 13.) “Common to man”? What does that mean? For me, it means that because of the fall, our mortal natures have become more and more susceptible to evil influences. And there is no temptation or sin that is rare in this world. Millions and millions of people are worked upon by the same temptations. We each deal with a different set of them, but every temptation in every set is shared by a multitude of other people. That’s how I see it. Now, the reality with much of mankind is that they don’t let temptations or sins bother them. Only those awakened to the goodness of God and who are concerned about their standing before Him are tormented by their sins. This is one of the first lessons our hearts need to learn. EVERYONE who is God-fearing, EVERYONE who is God-loving struggles with sin.

JOSEPH SMITH
Joseph Smith said to the Saints: “If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God….Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and feel to repent of all my sins” (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 588). I would venture to declare that close to none of you would have ever even considered that the little black sheep in the painting was Joseph Smith.

The truth is, that little lamb represents every one of us. “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love” (Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing).

(to be continued…)

For many years, I have loved a painting by Minerva Teichert titled: “Rescue of the Lost Lamb.” Today, I would invite everyone who reads this to look at this image and make a serious effort to answer in your own heart what this painting is trying to say to you. If you were asked to describe the symbolism in this painting, what would be your interpretation? Who are all those white sheep in the background, following behind the Lord, and who is that little black lamb being carried in Jesus’ arms? Who is that black sheep?

BROTHER OF JARED
Would you be surprised if I suggested that that little black sheep was the brother of Jared? I bet that woke you up. Listen to the words of one of the brother of Jared’s recorded prayers:

“O Lord…do not be angry with [me] because of [my] weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually….O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity…nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger” (Ether 3: 2-3).

I remind you that this prayer was offered just moments before Jesus showed Himself to the brother of Jared, and then revealed to him many glorious things that have been hidden from the world ever since. And still, from what we hear in this prayer, the brother of Jared was not reveling in his own righteousness and preparedness and worthiness for such a blessing. Rather he was honestly assessing his own weakness and fallen nature. He truly thought he was that little black sheep.

LEHI
Father Lehi would tell you that he was that little black sheep. He taught his sons that he was lost and fallen and forever would be except he should rely on his Redeemer. (See 1 Nephi 10: 6.) Now I realize that Lehi said that all mankind were lost and fallen. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that Lehi meant: ‘All mankind…except for me; I’m good—I’m the prophet!’ No, Lehi honestly included himself in that lost-ness and fallen-ness. But wait, lost and fallen? The great Lehi? We’re talking about ‘Liahona’ Lehi. The ‘leave behind all your riches and property to obey the Lord’ Lehi. And yet we do know that there was a time when Lehi faltered, when visionary, prophetic Lehi buckled. It happened under the terrible strain of gnawing hunger, desert thirst, and sandy sweat and fatigue. At one point during his family’s journey across the Arabian wilderness, when no food seemed to be forthcoming, when immediate bodily relief hid in the shadows, Lehi murmured. It was just too much! Now, of you who are reading this, who can honestly say that you imagined that little black sheep to be Lehi?

NEPHI
I’m sure that Lehi was grateful that his son Nephi was there to rescue him. Yes, Nephi was faithful to the end. The great, magnificent Nephi! The “I will go and do” Nephi who never murmured, though his brothers unrepentantly beat him, and sought to kill him, and all this, while he was the instrument of their preservation.

I think that every one of us would agree that Nephi operated on a whole different level. And he received favors from the Lord for it. God filled Nephi with His consuming love. God caused Nephi’s enemies to quake before him. Nephi was given knowledge and visions in the nighttime. Angels came down from heaven and ministered unto him. He was transported by the Spirit unto exceedingly high mountains; the Father and the Son spoke to him; and his eyes were made to see the great things of God, even too great for man. Nephi was something else! Who of us could even think to look upon this remarkable man, Nephi, and call him a wretch? Preposterous, isn’t it! And yet, Nephi himself did. “O wretched man that I am” he said. (2 Nephi 4: 17) I would guess that none among you would have ever dreamed that the little black sheep was Nephi.

“I am encompassed about,” he said, “because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.” “My heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.” “When I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins” (2 Nephi 4: 18, 17, 19). Nephi sounds like a tormented man, doesn’t he? He mourned that his own flesh was inclined to yield to sin, and give way to temptations, that the evil one might have place in his heart to destroy his peace and afflict his soul. (See 2 Nephi 4: 27.)

“Nevertheless,” he cried out, “I know in whom I have trusted” (2 Nephi 4: 19). Nephi saw himself being cradled in the arms of that loving Shepherd!

How do you and I see ourselves?

ABINADI
The prophet Abinadi knew that he was that black sheep. Unrelenting Abinadi! The ‘let yourself be captured so you can give your life for your testimony’ Abinadi. He preached that he would have been endlessly lost were it not that God Himself should come down to earth and redeem him. (See Mosiah 16: 4; 15: 1.)

ALMA Sr.
Alma Sr., who repented upon hearing Abinadi’s words, and turned his life over to God, knew that he was that little black sheep. Alma! ‘Waters of Mormon’ Alma—the man that the Young Women all over the Church quote every Sunday when they declare that they will “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18: 9). After this faith-filled Alma had become a mighty prophet and the founder of their Church, his penitent and baptized people desired that he should be their king. Nevertheless, he reminded them: “…remember the iniquity of king Noah and his priests; and I myself was caught in a snare, and did many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore repentance; Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth. Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I am unworthy to glory of myself” (Mosiah 23: 9-11). There’s that word again—“unworthy.” Now, please notice, this is not a false sense of humility that Alma is describing here. Like the brother of Jared, Alma truly felt unworthy before the Lord.

(to be continued…)

A Christian writer, Philip Yancey shared the following story, one that he heard from his friend who works with the down-and-out in Chicago:

“‘A prostitute came to me in wretched straits, homeless, sick, unable to buy food for her [young] daughter. Through sobs and tears, she told me she had been renting out her daughter….She had to do it, she said, to support her own drug habit. I could hardly bear hearing her sordid story….I had no idea what to say to this woman.

“‘At last I asked if she had ever thought of going to a church for help. I will never forget the look of pure, naive shock that crossed her face. “Church!” she cried. “Why would I ever go there? I was already feeling terrible about myself. They’d just make me feel worse.”’

Yancey continues: “What struck me about my friend’s story is that women much like this prostitute fled toward Jesus, not away from him. The worse [she might have] felt about herself, the more likely she saw Jesus as a refuge. Has the church lost that gift? Evidently the down-and-out, who flocked to Jesus when he lived on earth, no longer feel welcome among his followers. What has happened?”

What has happened? Why did publicans and sinners surround Jesus then, more than comfortable to have Him dine with them, thrilled to sit at His feet and hear His sayings? What did He offer them that was so appealing, something that we, his followers, now come up short on? How must He have made them to feel? I believe that they knew somehow that he looked at them through eyes much different than the leaders and members of their religious community. They knew that He saw something more in them than they had ever been taught to see in themselves.

Helmut Thielicke wrote: “Jesus gained the power to love harlots, bullies, and ruffians…he was able to do this only because he saw through the filth and crust of degeneration, because his eye caught the divine original which is hidden in every way—in every man!…When Jesus loved a guilt-laden person and helped him, he saw in him an erring child of God. He saw in him a human being whom his Father loved and grieved over because he was going wrong. He saw him as God originally designed and meant him to be, and therefore he saw through the surface layer of grime and dirt to the real man underneath. Jesus did not identify the person with his sin, but rather saw in this sin something alien, something that really did not belong to him, something that merely chained and mastered him and from which he would free him and bring him back to his real self. Jesus was able to love men because he loved them right through the layer of mud.”

And if we are to ever love our fellow men in the same way, we must consistently petition Him to give us new eyes with which to see.

IF I WERE A SINNER
In public prayer I often hear our people say: “Forgive us for our mistakes,” or “our weaknesses.” Are we as a people, as individuals, ashamed to come right out and ask the Lord to forgive us for our sins? Are we afraid of this word, even though it is the word the Lord has chosen to use when speaking of why He bled and died for us?

After a music event, on the steps of the front entrance to the theater, my friend and I overheard two gentlemen—obviously members of the Church—conversing about a talk that had been given recently in a General Conference by Elder Richard Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve. (Elder Scott’s talk was tender and direct to those who were struggling to part with sin and come to repentance.) Then one of the two men said: “If I were a sinner, I’d like to have Elder Scott to help me through it.”

If I were a sinner? Where does this mentality come from? I think I know what was meant by this, but to even use these words shows a failure on our part to accept our terrifying predicament. Have we not all sinned and become lost and fallen. Have we not all become prodigal children, wasting some portion of our inheritance as heirs to our Father’s kingdom? Are we not all in desperate need to rely wholly upon the merits of Him who is mighty to save? (2 Nephi 31: 19)

I thank the heavens that, whether we recognize it or not, Christ is not content to leave us lost. He has proven that He will do whatever it takes to find us. He desires passionately to have us be His associates in the heavenly kingdom. How I praise Him for this!

Now you and I know that it is precisely because of Jesus’ love for us that He intends to reform us. Being “found” means being changed. Speaking to the Relief Society, the Prophet Joseph said: “Christ was condemned by the self-righteous Jews because He took sinners into His society; He took them upon the principle that they repented of their sins. It is the object of this society to reform persons, not to…foster them in their wickedness….Nothing is so much calculated to lead people to forsake sin as to take them by the hand, and watch over them with tenderness. When persons manifest the least kindness and love to me, O what power it has over my mind, while the opposite course has a tendency to harrow up all the harsh feelings and depress the human mind” (Teachings, p. 240).

These “publicans and sinners”, as the Pharisees called them, obviously felt Jesus’ kindness and love toward them; as he took them by the hand, and watched over them with tenderness. He was able to instill confidence in them that they were worth saving. It was precisely this acceptance and sincere concern from Jesus that moved sinners to repentance. On one hand, it didn’t take long being in His company before they knew that Jesus never approved of any sin, but on the other hand, Jesus helped them to feel that He stood ready at all times to forgive. And what’s more, He made it clear to them that His greatest desire was to help reform them and make them whole again.

As Jesus said: “What man of you having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine, and go into the wilderness after that which is lost, until he find it? (“Until he find it” is one of my favorite phrases in all of scripture! It gives me the hope that Jesus is not going to turn back for home until He has me in His arms.)

“And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

“And when he cometh home (to heaven), he calleth together his friends and neighbors (our Father, the angels, prophets, and saints of the celestial world), and saith unto them: Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost” (JST Luke 15: 4-6).

My prayer? That one day, Jesus will carry me past the gates of heaven, set me on our Father’s lap and press me to His bosom, saying with finality: This, thy son, who was dead is alive again. He who was lost is found.

No more will sin and sorrow grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He’ll come and make the blessings flow
Far as the curse was found

Now, what might this mean…since our Savior was born over two thousand years ago, and yet, sin and sorrow have continued to grow and thorns have continued to infest the ground? Well, I must assume that the fulness of blessings which Jesus intends to make flow “far as the curse was found” is still in the future.

And so today, I’d like to speak briefly about the curse He intends to overthrow by the flow of those blessings.

First off…remember, after partaking of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve were told that the earth would be cursed to afflict and torment them in particular ways. Instead of bringing forth flowers and fruits spontaneously, the earth would bring forth thorns and other obnoxious elements…and all of the human family, which includes us, would experience the results of that curse. As well, since then, man’s physical state has been greatly endangered. Our bodies will eventually decay and die. So, we’re getting hit pretty hard, because of what our first parents did. But wait. I thought we believed that “men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam’s transgression.” (Article of Faith #2) Ah!…Therefore, we must agree that being guilty and punished for something may not be the same thing as coming under the effects of a divine curse. Children may inherit the effects of the curses brought about by their fathers, but are the children guilty of their father’s disobedience? Absolutely not.

And there are all kinds of effects of curses we can come under. For instance, what if many years ago, a man or a woman suffered from depression or other mental illness? This happened not because of anything wrong they had done, but came as one of the effects of the Fall…the unraveling or disintegration of order in the human DNA. Their brain was partially broken. Suppose they then endured the depression, trying to get through each day as it manifested its overpowering gloom upon them. Eventually, it became so oppressive that they began looking for any possible way to numb their pain…until at last they turned to alcohol as a form of escape…and soon found themselves addicted to alcohol.

The curse of alcoholism, which is a further physical plunge than the original Fall, can expand to even worse tendencies and addictions…perhaps a heightened explosive anger, leading to becoming physically abusive to spouse or children. Meanwhile, these genetic tendencies and behaviors may become passed on to the next generation, and then the next…and all because of the eroding effects of the original Fall.

As I said earlier, thorns were a result and sign of the Fall. Well, I find it curious that when Jesus comes to atone for all our sins, and the effects of our cursed tendencies…while He is undergoing the excruciating atonement that would remedy the Fall of man, He is crowned with a crown of thorns. It’s as if the soldiers, unknowingly, coronate Him with a crown of the curse…Though Jesus never transgressed, He came to be numbered with the transgressors (us). And He is not only numbered with them, but is crowned their King…King of fallen man! And He intends to make them His people, if they will let Him. He has power to do this. God, His Father, has given Him this power.

So, our physical bodies may inherit or adopt a multitude of ‘natural man’ instincts and tendencies that don’t even agree with the nature of our spirits…or who we really are. But, Jesus intends to fix all of that. That’s why He came the first time, and why He’ll come again.

The crown of thorns comes off, and the crown of eternal life replaces it!

He’ll come and make the blessings flow
Far as the curse—and all subsequent curses might be found!

Christ will overthrow them all! And this is our great reason for celebration at this time of year!

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Starting tomorrow, for each of the next twelve days, I’m going to share a favorite Christmas story, or poem, or thought. That will bring us up through Christmas Eve.

Happy 12/12/12! :)