To Give All

Every day we are always giving something. From our time at work to our excuses, or smiles and service, or money at the store and even love to those around us. We are always giving. And yet, it seems that it can be much more difficult to give when someone asks. We think "oh no, I'm sorry but I just can't give that", when really we are already prepared to do so if we wouldn't get in our own way.

Christ taught a parable that says, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." (Matthew 13:45-46) The kingdom of God is the pearl of great price. It is beautiful and worth everything that we have to give. And in order to be received there, we are required to give all that we have to give. This can mean that we need to give up our bad habits that stop us from becoming more like Christ. But through repentance this is possible. It could refer to giving up our desires and replacing them with the will of God; and through faith and trust in Him we can do this. Sometimes we will be required to give of our personal belongings that are temporal for this world to help others. This builds our charity and love toward God and all of His children. Sometimes it is very hard and we don't understand why it is being asked of us - but our Heavenly Father never requires something that we can't give, and He will never set us up for failure. He did not send us here to fail, but to succeed, and He will help us every step of the way as we turn to Him for that help so that we can enter into His kingdom.

Sacrifice is the act of giving to the Lord whatever He requires of our time, our earthly possessions, and our energies to further His work. His work is the bringing of His children back to live with Him for eternity, and they are able to do this as they sacrifice and live righteously. But why is sacrifice so important? It is so hard and sometimes seems like too much to ask of us. But it wouldn't be asked of us if it weren't possible or if it weren't for our good. Sacrifice helps us become like Jesus Christ who suffered and gave all that He had to help us as God's children to have a way to return home. He was perfect, and yet He was still required to sacrifice in order to be with God forever. As we give to the Lord - and to those around us - we are perfected little by little so that we, too, my be with our God and Father.

It is through Jesus Christ that this is possible. Not only because He is our perfect example, but also because of what He sacrificed. Because of His love for God and for each of us personally, He drank the bitter cup and suffered for all of our sins so we might have a way to repent and become perfected through our actions and our desires. It was Christ that said, "Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done" so that we would have a mediator and a hope for the eternal joys promised us. As we look to Christ, we can find that joy. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) We can follow His teachings and His example. We can become disciples of Christ each day as we dedicate ourselves to that joy for which He endured, and for which we are all able to endure with His help.

I know that God keeps His promises to us, as does our Savior Jesus Christ. They love us so dearly and are aware of our sufferings, trials, and triumphs. They only desire for us to receive their sacrifices so that we might give all we have and all that we are to the eternal promises we have been given so that we might be able to fulfill our full potential. Like the man in the parable, we will find the pearl of great price, and we will have a desire to give all we have for it. It takes time and effort, faith, prayer, and hard work, but through our Savior it is possible. I desire to be more willing to give, and more happy to suffer in the name of Christ so that I might become like Him. I feel His love for me, and I am so grateful to know that His arms are always open to me as I strive to become a better disciple. My prayer echos that of the prophet Omni: "And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved." (Omni 1:26)

My Shepherd

Jesus Christ is called the Good Shepherd. He calls after His sheep by name and when they come unto Him, He will open the door for them to return safely home. He does so much for us. John chapter 10 describes a lot of what He does for us. "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep." (vs 14-15). It amazes me how He states so simply how He would lay down His life for us - for those of us who follow Him. He knows us each individually by name, and He calls out to us so that we can be enlivened through His life.

For the past few weeks I've been having a hard time with some thorns from my past. It has been so helpful for me to know that He knows me, and He wants to be my shepherd so He can lead me to safety. It is my choice to follow Him and to come and knock on His door. I have the assurance that when I knock He will open it. But what is behind His door? Safety, peace, love, joy? I believe so. It doesn't completely take away the sorrow or suffering or trial, but it does make it possible for us to continue on and keep going. I know that because I have often felt His strength helping me to continue onward when I felt I didn't have any means or ability to do so. We can not do it alone.

Just as a sheep would wonder without any guidance, we are the same and Christ is our guide. As a shepherd, He does not push us or prod us to do His will or even to go His way. He simply leads us and shows us where to go to find joy. And then it is our experience to choose which way we will go. And He will always be there to help us - even if we choose to stray from the path. Isn't it He who spoke of leaving the 99 sheep to find the 1 who has left? He is our perfect example and will always come seeking for us. This brings me comfort, and gives me strength to seek for Him. As our Shepherd, He will always be there for us.

Storms of Life

There will always be storms that we need to face in our lives. Sometimes they are slow but consistent like the Seattle rains, while other times they are unexpected and horrifyingly harsh like the typhoons of the oceans. Often times we can predict that there could be a storm coming, while other times they catch us so much off guard that you feel there is no protection - no peace. But that's just because we haven't recognized it yet.

When the apostles of Jesus Christ were being tossed in a storm, they were afraid when they saw Christ walking towards them on the water. They didn't at first recognize that it was Him. When He spoke to calm them, Peter wished that his Savior might bid him come. That is always the invitation that Christ gives to each of us: "Come." So Peter walked out onto the water to go unto He in whom he had so much faith. But then he saw the storm. He saw the wind and the waves and the torrents that were come upon him and he was afraid. He began to sink. In fear he cried out "Lord, save me." In the act of His ever present love, Christ then "immediately stretched forth His hand" and pulled Peter to safety. (Matthew 14:30-31). And then the wind stopped, and the storm was calmed.

I think that this happens in each of our lives. When the winds get stronger we are troubled, but we have faith that we will make it through. So we take the steps of faith to go towards our ultimate goal behind the rage of the storm. And it seems that whenever we are on our way, the storm will always get worse, or harder, or at least seem scarier to us. And we can get distracted from our goal, distracted from the safety that we are sure to find because of the waves and the wind and the fierceness of the difficulties. That distraction causes us to sink - to fall into despair or frustration or into a lack of hope. And yet, when we call out to our Lord - to our Savior and Friend - He will immediately come to our aid. Sometimes we don't recognize it because He often will work through the people around us, or through small whisperings of the Spirit. But as we strive to listen, we will fell the peace that comes from Him and Him alone. And we can rise above the storm. His love will lift us and give us the hope that we loose sight of sometimes.

The Lord himself has said, "And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you..." (Doctrine and Covenants 88:67). When we direct our focus to the plan and the love and the knowledge of our God and our Lord, the darkness can not overpower us. It doesn't make it go away altogether, but it will not be the only thing we see. The darkness can not block out the light of our hope through Jesus Christ.