In Relief Society we learned from the GC talk by Elder Christofferson (I think), with the title (~) He whom He loveth, He chasteneth. Well, despite not having the citation spot on, someone shared a FABULOUS (movie) quote that related well to what we discussed during the lesson: "God loves you exactly the way you are; but He loves you too much to let you stay that way."
What an awesome quote, right? First of all, I can just see how I can revamp it and use it in my house: Mom loves you exactly the way you are, but I love you too much to let you ____. Same goes for saying that to my husband. It could really work wonders.
But I've recently, or actually for a long time, been obsessed with the idea of progression. Constant motion. You are never stagnant in the gospel and in your relationship with Heavenly Father. I am either always moving towards Him and getting closer to Him or farther away. There is no status quo or zero slope. Anyways... This idea of progression being a key element in our lives makes me love the above quote. That of course Heavenly Father has unconditional love for us! But that doesn't mean that He doesn't give us commandments to follow, experiences to stretch and challenge us, and people who need our love and service. He loves us too much to just let us be. Instead, we need to DO something, we need to progress, be challenged, and... of course, because we are, I am, human, fallible, chastisement. He loves us is the foundation that can and should not be doubted. But I am weak, I am not perfect. He wants me to be perfect (Matthew 5:48), so... I need sometimes that swift kick in the rump to get me going or to humble me.
Chastisement is... if you want to be really optimistic about it... a gift. Because it allows us to see ourselves in all honesty and nakedness, become aware, humble, and use the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Now THAT is a gift. One I certainly need, and one, when I use it (no matter how painful or difficult or fiery an experience) is always cleansing and leads me to greater peace, a greater appreciation for my Savior, and a closeness to Heavenly Father that was previously lacking.
So, back to the awesome quote. If God didn't love us, he wouldn't correct us and help set us back on the right path. He'd just let us mosey on and ramble over to the fiery pit and stay there... if He didn't love us. But He does. He loves us too much to let us go astray without a little effort on His part to try to bring us back.
I loved Relief Society this Sunday for that.
Showing posts with label Heavenly Father. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heavenly Father. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
From a Few Verses
In the past week I've barely gotten through 2 chapters and not just because I'm pondering over each verse in depth. It's because a) I get easily distracted by the girls and only read a few verses each day and b) I'm in the war chapters of Mormon which tend not to be too interesting or captivating to me. But without further ado and sans excuses.
Mormon 5:2 - talk about me! Here I am, or have been (when I don't read my scriptures), "struggling for my life without calling upon that Being who created me." I've also been hanging out with a few friends who are suffering from depression and how I long to tell them and explain to them that we don't have to, and shouldn't struggle through our problems without turning to our Maker. It's like the book You are Special by Max Lucado. We need to return to our Maker, for He knows us. His tender mercy is always extended to us so that we don't have to struggle!
Mormon 3:3 - it says "the Lord their God." Sometimes, I am sure, in the scriptures it says just the Lord God. But here it is explicit in the Lord their God. He is a personal God. A God to His people, as well as THE God. But how sad is it that they/we/I can harden my heart against MY own God, someone who is personally mine?
Mormon 3:12 - This verse is just amazing. I can almost hear Mormon's voice; that personal, painful struggle where he leads and loves a people who are such a source of sorrow to him. It's amazing how he can love a people so much that it hurts, loves them and is so hurt by them and feels such sadness for them. It's very tender. Or as he says in 5:8, "harrowing" to the soul. What an agonizing existence. And I wonder what that means when he says he leads this people, prays for them but "without faith..." ? I cannot imagine a prophet of God as diligent as he praying without faith. Maybe without hope? Praying with a knowledge that God cannot bless the people and act contrary to His own laws of righteousness, that He cannot bless a people in sin?
Mormon 5:18 - the ship/vessel analogy. Where else is that in the scriptures? "Be ye clean, ye that bear the vessels of the Lord?" Am I making that up? Ah... electronic scriptures and searches - 3 Nephi 20:41. Be anchored, be clean, be a vessel/receptacle filled with the good things of the gospel, have a sail... I bet I could really study out this little analogy. Maybe at a later date.
Mormon 5:21 - so powerful for those of us who have loved ones for whom we pray. The Lord remembers, hears, honors the prayers that we pray for others. Those who are dear to us may NOT turn to the Lord, but if we continue to pray for them (and are righteous), the Lord hears us. So keep praying for them. One of our Heavenly Father's tender mercies.
Mormon 5:2 - talk about me! Here I am, or have been (when I don't read my scriptures), "struggling for my life without calling upon that Being who created me." I've also been hanging out with a few friends who are suffering from depression and how I long to tell them and explain to them that we don't have to, and shouldn't struggle through our problems without turning to our Maker. It's like the book You are Special by Max Lucado. We need to return to our Maker, for He knows us. His tender mercy is always extended to us so that we don't have to struggle!
Mormon 3:3 - it says "the Lord their God." Sometimes, I am sure, in the scriptures it says just the Lord God. But here it is explicit in the Lord their God. He is a personal God. A God to His people, as well as THE God. But how sad is it that they/we/I can harden my heart against MY own God, someone who is personally mine?
Mormon 3:12 - This verse is just amazing. I can almost hear Mormon's voice; that personal, painful struggle where he leads and loves a people who are such a source of sorrow to him. It's amazing how he can love a people so much that it hurts, loves them and is so hurt by them and feels such sadness for them. It's very tender. Or as he says in 5:8, "harrowing" to the soul. What an agonizing existence. And I wonder what that means when he says he leads this people, prays for them but "without faith..." ? I cannot imagine a prophet of God as diligent as he praying without faith. Maybe without hope? Praying with a knowledge that God cannot bless the people and act contrary to His own laws of righteousness, that He cannot bless a people in sin?
Mormon 5:18 - the ship/vessel analogy. Where else is that in the scriptures? "Be ye clean, ye that bear the vessels of the Lord?" Am I making that up? Ah... electronic scriptures and searches - 3 Nephi 20:41. Be anchored, be clean, be a vessel/receptacle filled with the good things of the gospel, have a sail... I bet I could really study out this little analogy. Maybe at a later date.
Mormon 5:21 - so powerful for those of us who have loved ones for whom we pray. The Lord remembers, hears, honors the prayers that we pray for others. Those who are dear to us may NOT turn to the Lord, but if we continue to pray for them (and are righteous), the Lord hears us. So keep praying for them. One of our Heavenly Father's tender mercies.
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