27: The Choice of Jerusalem

Mosiah 26: 3

And now because of their unbelief

they could not understand the word of God;

and their hearts were hardened.

The Choice of Jerusalem

Summer 07, 1/6/08, 2/1/08

Had I been in Jerusalem

The time The King first came

Would I have mocked, and spurned, and scorned

His Blessed, Holy Name?

Would I have walked in wondering steps

The path that Jesus trod?

Would I have known those steps to mark

The only way to God?

I am not in Jerusalem

But still I have this choice

To stray or fight the truth He speaks

Or heed His Holy Voice.

You, as well, must make your choice

For hope He died to give

To heed or hate, the choice is yours,

His gift that we might live.

The Jewish religion is one of the oldest in the world. It was the parent of Christianity. Yet so few of the Jews were willing to recognize the Messiah when He came because He was not the answer they wanted.

Here, in this time, I was raised in Christianity and understand how and why it had to be as it was - the suffering Messiah before the conquering Messiah. But if I was not raised to understand, I wonder how foreign and strange it would seem to me. Sometimes I try to think of the world and how I would perceive everything without this knowledge and then how I would react to someone telling me of the gospel. It has allowed me build a stronger testimony of its truth and I hope I would have had the strength of character to truly listen, consider, and accept it had I been there back then.

26: Hope

1 Peter 3: 15

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

Hope

2/18/07

The flame of hope wants to be shared

But must be guarded well

From those who have not eyes to see

Who'd try its strength to tell.

They blow to try your strength and will

To keep it burning on

They blow for fear what it will show

For long their flame's been gone.

So guard you precious hope and faith

From those who wish to kill

For doubt or fear - it matters not -

Just keep it burning still.

Hope can melt the ice of fear

And fuel the tired heart

And lift another's burden clear

And prompt a better start.

So guard your precious hope and faith

To share with those who see

That hope gives strength when wisely shared

And sets the bound heart free.

Out of faith, hope, and charity, hope is the least represented it seems. I see faith as the belief in something we may not understand that motivates us to act accordingly. Hope is the expectation that our faith is not in vain. I believe it is a symbiotic relationship - they feed each other. Without them, we may act, but it would not be the same for we would feel the actions were empty of meaning. This in turn would ultimately lead to abandoning the actions or resenting whatever actions we continued.

It is the original source of charity, the pure love Christ offered us that allows us the chance to have faith and hope. By overcoming the effects of death and sin, life and our actions have meaning again. Instead of emptiness there is a future possible of continued life for everyone. There is hope.

25: Help Will Come

D&C 68: 6

Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus  Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.

Help Will Come

2/18/07

No matter how alone you feel

Or, in truth, you may well be

Or how you cry out in your soul

For one to trust continually.

No matter how you search and look

And still there is no-one

Have faith, be still, do not lose hope

For always, help will come.

The source, each different, yet the same

The Lord works through the ones who will

Each help made equal to each need

Shows us the Lord is faithful still.

He sends one soul to listen well

Another to suggest

And when there's no-one to give hope

By His help we'll be blessed.

So though heart, faith and hope are tired

And still you have no-one

Have faith, be still, do not give up

And hope, for help will come.

Coming from the family problems that so dominated my life, I do not and have not had the family support that I watch so many others regularly fall back on. All the same, there has always been the help needed when something was beyond my own capabilities. Sometimes I could talk to one friend or another, sometimes I happened across a random reference that helped me understand, sometimes a random stranger appeared more than willing to help, sometimes  my dreams would give me perspective, sometimes it was simply a blessing of peace. But I was never left alone by Heavenly Father. And I promise that so long as you want Him there, He will never leave you alone either. He does not always give the answer we want as quickly as we want, but He will always be there to give us the help we need.

24: Unfinished Prayer

Alma 36:17-20

17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard by father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

Unfinished Prayer

12/06

I walk life's roads not knowing where

The journey's end may be

And now life's questions cloud my heart -

Oh, Lord! Please help me see!

Oh, Lord, please help me know my place  -

Where I am and where I go

And if I've worth - then what it is

Oh, Lord! Please help me know.

And Lord, if Thou wouldst heal this heart

Where hurt has hid so long

That I may now be free of fear

That right may come from wrong.

The Lord allows the horrible to happen because we must all have the opportunity to prove ourselves. He does not condone bad behavior nor does He forget those who suffer because of it. It is  through His atonement and redeeming sacrifice that allows for right to come from wrong. By keeping His commandments and enduring to the end, we are enabled by His grace to make more than circumstances would otherwise allow.

People can do horrible things to each other, things I have no experience with even in my difficult life. Yet it is those who have overcome the worst that have gained the most compassion and wisdom and power to do good because they know and understand far more than those who have lived more sheltered lives. Even those who have made the ill choices have this opportunity through repentance. While it is not better that they have those experiences of wrong-doing, the truth of their experience can have a stronger impact in encouraging others to avoid the same mistakes.