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My Talk
Posted On: 03/16/2008 14:16:44
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Not like anyone will care but I thought I would post my talk I just gave today.
“For some reason we think the Atonement of Christ applies only at the end of mortal life to redemption from the Fall, from spiritual death. It is much more than that. It is an everpresent power to call upon in everyday life. When we are racked or harrowed up or tormented by guilt or burdened with grief, He can heal us.” - Pres. Boyd K. Packer, Apr. Conf. 2001 Who among us has not at some point in our lives or points in my case, been racked or harrowed up or tormented by guilt or burdened with grief? I think many of us forget that the Atonement not only cleanses us from sin, but also can lift us out of the depressions and low moments of our lives. The tragedy is that many of us don’t access this portion of the Atonement. We seem to think that we are meant to suffer. And we are to a degree, because we know that there needs to be opposition in all things. But our loving savior didn’t “take upon him death,” and fill his bowels with mercy just for us to go about our lives not considering what peace He could bring unto us if we would but turn to him. He did these things so that “he may know…how to succor his people according to their infirmities.” Think about that. Our savior knows what it is like to stub a toe. He knows what it is like to lose a loved one. He knows how it feels to be tempted, sometimes even above that which we think we can bear. He knows how it feels to lose a job. He even knows what it is like in my situation. But what do we do? Most of us go about our daily lives, thinking maybe someday things will be better. As a father I do not like to see my children suffer. I know that there are things though that they have to do on their own if they are to grow. But does that mean that I won’t try to ease their suffering in a way that will still help them? I believe that our Heavenly Father feels the same way. Only, He understands all things and even if he can’t fully take away the pain he knows how we feel and can empathize with us and provide what it is that we may need but don’t know we need. I love the word empathy. According to one definition empathy is “Identifying oneself completely with an object or person, sometimes even to the point of responding physically, as when, watching a baseball player swing at a pitch, one feels one's own muscles flex.” Didn’t the Lord respond physically to our suffering when he suffered in Gesthemene? Did he not bleed from every pore? Did he not “tremble because of pain,” and “suffer both body and spirit?” He did these things for us so that he could succor us in our not so shining moments. Elder David A. Bedner, of the Quorum of the Twelve talked about the enabling power of the Atonement, he said: “The enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity.” I know that there have been times in my own life where I have been strengthened to carry out a task that was for my good that I otherwise wouldn’t have had the strength to do. I have had the opportunity, as most of us have had, to repent of my sins. Those aren’t pleasant times. But the peace that comes from knowing that my savior has suffered these things for me is far greater then the pain of the repentance process. He understands the trials in my life, and he has given me the strength to move forward and not look back. In the Book of Mormon the prophet Jacob teaches us a very important principle of the atonement. He says: “Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.” That is great power. That power is what I believe Elder Bednar was referring to when he said, “the Atonement helps us to … become good in ways that we could never accomplish with our limited mortal capacity.” But the important principle comes in the next verse. "Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things" We are shown our weaknesses so that we may know who it truly is that provides us with that power. If we look at the word grace used in that verse, we can understand more fully how the atonement can empower us in our lives. The Bible Dictionary gives this definition: "The main idea of the word is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ. " . . . It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts" Elder Bednar again teaches us more about grace, this time he refers to grace as the tender mercies of the Lord: “We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live. “When logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to producea desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance.” So grace is that extra bit of help that the Lord gives us to put off the natural man. It is that extra strength that he gives to us as we humble ourselves to “make weak things become strong unto us.” It is ultimately grace which will make us “perfect in Christ.” But we also have to expend our own best efforts. What do we need to do to have the enabling power of the Atonement take effect in our lives? I would suggest three things. First we need to have Daily Accountability with the Lord. Being accountable for our actions on a daily basis not only keeps a constant level of communication between us and God, but can actually make us aware of areas in our lives where we need our Lord’s grace to be applied. For myself I do this each morning and evening as I pray and recount my day and the trials that I have faced. Elder Joseph B. Worthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve points out the importance of Daily Accountability: “. . . We can all . . . benefit by looking deep inside our hearts during reverent moments of worship and prayer and asking ourselves this simple question, ‘AmI true?’ “The question becomes more powerfully useful if we are completely honest with our answers and if it motivates us to make repentant course corrections that keep us on the path of faith” As we are accountable to the Lord our capacity to resist sin increases. Second, we need to seek for Personal Revelation in our lives. One way I do this is by taking a scripture or a talk that I have read in the morning and trying to think of it as I go through my day. By doing this I am placing myself just a step above the mundane routines that we generally have to do each day. This keeps my mind in tune with the Spirit so I won’t miss those opportunities to recognize when the Lord is speaking to me. Another thing that I try to do is to express gratitude for the blessings that I have already received. As I express gratitude I know that my capacity to receive guidance will increase. Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve explains very clearly what to do and not do to obtain Personal Revelation: “The Holy Ghost will protect us against being deceived, but to realize that wonderful blessing we must always do the things necessary to retain that Spirit. We must keep the commandments, pray for guidance, and attend church and partake of the sacrament each Sunday.” “We must never take things into our bodies or do things with our bodies that drive away the Spirit of the Lord and leave us without our spiritual protection against deception” Personal Revelation is what will keep us focused on what we need to do to more effectively apply the power of the Atonement in our lives. Finally, we need to commit ourselves to lives of Service. Service is the one sure way we can stop feeling sorry for ourselves and seek to truly help another. When we think about it, the Atonement was the ultimate act of service. If we want that power to be active in our lives shouldn’t we emulate the One who enacted it for us? I often try to slow my life down, so that I am not rushing to and fro. As I do this I am constantly amazed at the opportunities for service that present themselves. I believe that most acts of service are not taken simply because we think we are too busy to do them. President Ezra Taft Benson taught: “Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life” We know that when we are in the service of others we are only in the service of God. Service to others is a great way to turn our lives and wills over to God and allow Him to let the power of the Atonement flow freely unto us. I like to think of my life as a race. It is not important whether I actually win this race. The important thing is that I finish the race. As I go through this race there are going to be potholes along the way. But the effects of the Atonement will help me in two ways. Of course as I trip and fall it is because of the Atonement that I can rise again and continue the race. But not every pothole on this course is going to cause me to stumble. Because the Savior has already run the race and experienced every pothole on the course He can actually help me to avoid those potholes that He knows will cause significant distress in my life. If I will report to him each day, seek for his guidance and serve others as best I can, I will receive the grace that He has promised.
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