Here's the link to this month's discussion piece: Can Ye Feel So Now? by Elder Cook.
Reading through this talk and it's corresponding passage in scripture, Alma 5, springs forth a desire to search for this 'song of redeeming love.' Everyone makes mistakes and errors and repentance brings the arms of redemption around us, but I feel that it's a practiced skill to feel those arms.
Elder Cook quotes C.S. Lewis from Mere Christianity: "When you know you are sick, you will listen to the doctor." Knowledge of sins is a necessary step in the repentance process. But the recognition of my own sin is not enough to feel this comfort of which Alma speaks. To call upon Him who is Mighty to Save, to give up all my sins to know Him, to recognize the fault and correct it; this washes the garments clean in His blood. He has forgiven and forgotten...but what about me? Have I forgotten?
Not only does the atonement of Christ wash away the sins, but it also is meant to wash away all the guilt as well. When we repent, we need to perform all the steps and forsake the sin, but then we need to forget it: He has. I think this is what Alma was referring to: recognizing the Lord's full atonement acting in our lives.
(Be sure to post in "comments" so we can have the topics organized. That way all the comments to each topic will be grouped together.)
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Funny how the Lord will sometimes gently remind, sometimes push a little harder, then sometimes send a flood....we had stake conference, I walked away with the lesson burned into my soul I had better work harder with the scriptures. The Lord will help me feel the song of redeeming love as I study better, and then He will open the way for me to cleanse myself and will purge me of my sins as I follow the teaching and the instructions in the scriptures. So I will read and study and then act on the prompting I know will follow.
ReplyDeleteDad
I'm often struck by the beauty of the wording in the scriptures - "Sing the song of redeeming love" is pure poetry. To me it says, Does the redemptive power of the atonement and the love that brought it about cause me to sing praises of jubilation or conviction or thankfulness or joy? (less poetry but more clarity). I thought to say "yes," I daily sing the song of redeeming love. But then I have to admit that I often feel, as Elder Cook said, a "spiritual drought." And I see why when I continue reading in Alma 5: am I blameless, sufficiently humble, stripped of pride and envy and the vain things of the world? Uh, no.
ReplyDeleteThere are many, many things I could/should work on doing but too many resolutions often means none of them get done so these are the two I am going to focus on: 1)increased temple attendance and 2)I'm going to pull out the journal Elizabeth gave me a while back to keep a record of evidence of the Lord's hand in my life.
Love you all, mom
I confess, I do not always feel to sing the song of redeeming love, but I have sometimes. i contemplate what is different about the moments when I do feel to sing and when I don't. One thing I have concluded is that I feel his redeeming love when I have a true understanding of the first two principles of the gospel: Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and Repentance. When I believe that the Lord loves me, wants what's best for me, and that I am a daughter of God I can move forward with confidence and peace. When I understand that repentance is actually a method through which I can accept God's love and reach my fullest potential, then I am more willing to do it. Through repentance I become clean vessel to be filled with His love...and I will sing.
ReplyDeleteSorry I am late. I enjoyed reading the talk, your comments and AJ's prompt. Love you guys!
Eliz
btw, AJ, you are a very talented writer.
As I first read this post and as I read and pondered Elder Cooks talk my main though was the miracle of forgiveness. In Mormon 9 it talks about that in our day men will say that God ceaseth to do miracles, but it is truly because of their lack of faith (and understanding) that they do not see miracles. Forgiveness is truly a miracle. I would say its the greatest miracle, it takes us from the fallen people that we are to individuals that have the potential to dwell once again with our Heavenly Father - compared to that feeding the multitudes and raising the dead are more fleeting miracles on the eternal scheme on our existences. Do we fall into the category of people lacking the faith for the Lord to bring about the miracle of forgiveness in our lives? Do we fall in with the men Mormon prophesied of? And when we do experience forgiveness do we not count it as a miracle because it does not seem something great? I hope not! But luckily God gave us lots of time to learn and get this right-ish.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of things that have built my testimony, some are big boulders and others are grains of sand all adding to my testimony, when I first truly let the Lord wash away my sins was a huge boulder. There was no great and terrible sins involved, but as I allowed the Lord to help me let everything go and forget and stop degrading myself for my 'repented' wrongs - that is when I felt such love and peace and came to a greater understanding of how God works and who He wants me to be. Amazing how much He wants us to become and how much He'll show of if we but let him.
I'm with dad on needing to delve more into scriptures - even while writing this I've realized that my relationship with my Heavenly Father isn't as vivid as it has been, and I miss it.
Love you!
Melissa