Becoming New in Christ

This week I listened to THIS TALK by Elder Dale G. Renlund, and it has left me pondering about the sacrament and my covenants.

Elder Renlund quoted President Russell M. Nelson saying:

I made a covenant as I partook of the sacrament that I would be willing to take upon me the name of Jesus Christ and . . . to obey His commandments. Often, I hear the expression that we partake of the sacrament to renew covenants made at baptism. While that’s true, it’s much more than that. I’ve made a new covenant. You have made new covenants (italics added).

Whoa. The sacrament is much. more. than. renewing. covenants.

Much more.

So I have been thinking about that. About Jesus being the New Covenant and how I can make a new covenant with Him each and every week.

Each Sabbath, as I give to Him my offering of my righteous desires coupled with my carnal tendencies, I can become new.

When taken worthily and with real intent, the sacrament is The Way I become a new creature in Christ.

This means that in partaking of the sacrament, the things of the world slowly--ever so imperceptibly slow-- start to become less and less important to me, and the things of God--the very things of eternity--start to become more and more important to me.

The sacrament not only helps me to become more like Him, it is my cry to Him that I need Him to give me the ability to live His doctrine--especially the "endure to the end" part--with Christ-like determination.

And He does.

He gives me what I need.

What an amazing covenant I have made.

Small and Simple Things

This evening I had the opportunity to participate in our Relief Society Christmas Program entitled, Women Who Knew Christ. I was asked to play the part of the mother of Mary. As I practiced my part, there was a phrase from Luke 1:35 that jumped out at me:

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Had I read correctly? Did the angel just refer to the Son of God as a holy thing? And right then Alma 37:6-7 was brought to my remembrance:

Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

Yep. The very Son of God was born by and in and to small and simple circumstances.

Compared to how a king would have been received.

Compared to how birthing accommodations are today.

Compared to what can be announced to the world in real time on social media.

Yet, in His small and simple way, He continues to confound the wise and brings about the salvation to many souls.

I share my witness with King Benjamin that "there is no other name give nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent."

Doctrine and Covenants 25 Chiasmus

Tonight, I took a look at Doctrine and Covenants 25 as President Nelson invited us to do on Saturday. And I decided to look at it with a chiasmus eye. And really, I don't know much about chiasmus, except that it is AWESOME. But here's what I discovered. It is quite powerful when I read it in first person, taking the liberty to liken "husband" to "God," and thinking about "hymns" more in line as "preparations" for the upcoming April 2020 General Conference and beyond.

 1 God speaks to all—all who are covenant-makers and keepers of the gospel

    2 If you are faithful, you will receive an inheritance in Zion

       3 Your sins are forgiven. You are an elect lady. Called by the Lord.

         4 Murmur not about the things you have not seen

            5 Speak consoling words in the spirit of meekness

               6 Be a scribe

                  7 You are called under [God’s] hand to expound scripture/exhort

                      8 Receive the Holy Ghost to write and learn much

                      9 [God] will support thee; all things to be revealed according to faith

                  10 Lay aside the things of the world

              11 Make a selection of hymns [spiritual preparations]

            12 Song of the righteous is a prayer unto Him, a blessing upon heads

         13 Lift up your heart. Cleave unto your covenants.

      14 Be meek. Beware of pride. Soul delight in/glory given to [God]

   15 Keep commandments. Receive a crown of righteousness.

16 My voice unto all

What are you learning as you study the 25th section of the Doctrine and Covenants?

Tidbit Tuesday: Talking About Family

We talk a lot about families. Sometimes in bitterness, you will want to say ‘all this talk about families, but I don’t have a family, and …, ’ stop there! Don’t add that extra phrase, ‘I wish they would stop talking so much about families.’ You pray that we do keep talking about families; about fathers and mothers and children and family home evening, temple marriage and companionship and all of the rest, because all of that will be yours. If we stop talking about it, then you, among all others, will be the losers.

-James E. Faust quoting Boyd K. Packer

How is it that I Seek Him?

In Luke 2:49, young Jesus responds to Mary and Joseph when they find Him in the temple and question His whereabouts, "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?" To which Luke writes, "And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them."

This has got me to thinking, Jesus did not ask. "Where have you sought me?" or "When have you  sought me?" or "Why have you sought me?" His question was "How is it that ye sought me?"

How is it?

In the 1828 Dictionary, the word how is defined as "by what means, in what state, or in what manner." Which begs the question, HOW is it that I seek Him?

Do I seek Him only when I need His help?

Do I seek Him only when I need fast, temporary relief?

Do I seek Him looking for easy answers to my profound questions because I don't want to wait?

Do I seek Him on my time, with no regard to all He is and all He does and all He offers?

Or,

Do I seek Him with real intent?

Do I seek Him with the desire to know? With the desire to follow Him the whole. entire. way. The long, eternal way.

Do I seek Him because I, too, want to go about His Father's business, no matter what the cost?

Do I seek Him willingly because I want to do His will and not mine, for His work and His glory?

"How is it," He asks, "that ye seek Me?"