Today we heard from Katie on the topic of Eternal Progression.
Lorenzo Snow was discussing th gospel with a friend, and during that conversation he had a revelation. He summarizes his leanings as:
"the eyes of my understanding were opened, and I saw as clear as the sun at noonday, with wonder and astonishment, the pathway of God and man. I formed the following couplet which expresses the revelation, as it was shown me. … 'As man now is, God once was: As God now is, man may be.'"(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow, Chapter 5: The Grand Destiny of the Faithful)
This revelation became a guiding star to him, and a constant light to him throughout his life.
The core of this principal is that we are children of God. Just as we want the best for our own children, our Father in Heaven wants this for us.
"He has bestowed upon us the capacity for infinite wisdom and knowledge, because He has given us a portion of Himself." - Lorenzo Snow
Just as we pass down qualities to our own children, we have inherited divine qualities from our Father.
How has knowing that you are a child of God influenced you in your life? It keeps you grounded though trials and gives perspective in life, it can be a clarifying force in the chaotic world, we feel love unconditionally and feel confident that God will be there, it helps us to feel love toward others when we realize that we are all His children.
One sister shared that during a time of depression when she wondered what it would be like if she were not here, she felt confirmation that she was a daughter of God and that makes all the difference.
When parents can disappoint, we know that our Father in Heaven will never disappoint.
Because we are children of God we have divine potential. Sometimes the idea of eternity can be overwhelming. There is much we don't know about eternity, but we are not supposed to feel fear or overwhelmed. We are like little children, inexperienced, but our Father is leading us little by little closer to our divine potential.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are
"Our travel in this path of exaltation will bring to us the fullness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to stand in the presence of our Father, to receive of His fullness, to have the pleasure of increasing in our posterity worlds without end, to enjoy those pleasant associations that we have had in this life, to have our sons and our daughters, our husbands and our wives, surrounded with all the enjoyment that heaven can bestow, our bodies glorified like unto the Savior’s, free from disease and all the ills of life, and free from the disappointments and vexations and the unpleasant sacrifices that we are making here."(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow, Chapter 5: The Grand Destiny of the Faithful)
How do you feel when you think about all that is in store for us?
Some feel overwhelmed at the idea that there is no end, the transition between this life and the next may be difficult, the next segment may be a new adventure but it also is the next step. We are in the midst of Eternity now. We are in the process of growing, we know that God is there.
As we remember the blessings that are prepared for us, then we find joys amid the cares and vexations of life.
"We frequently, in the multitude of cares around us, get forgetful and these things are not before us, then we do not comprehend that the gospel is designed and calculated in its nature to bestow upon us those things that will bring glory, honor and exaltation, that will bring happiness, peace and glory. We are apt to forget these things in the midst of the cares and vexations of life, and we do not fully understand that it is our privilege, and that the Lord has placed it in our reach to pursue that gospel whereby we may have peace within us continually. …"(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow, Chapter 5: The Grand Destiny of the Faithful)
We can get caught up in the routine of day to day living and time pondering, scripture reading and praying can help us focus on the larger picture. We also can remember our divine potential and feel empowered to progress.
No comments:
Post a Comment