6/15/2017 - Section 42:18-52

June 15, 2017

Section 42:18-52

Marriage, Mission Companion, Consecration, New Jerusalem, Death vs Health, Progression,

In v’s 18-29, the Lord is reminding the members of the Church that the 10 commandments are as binding today as they were in the days of Moses. Interestingly, there are only two commandments in all the scriptures that require us to love with all our heart. We are commanded to love God with all our heart (Deut 6:5; Matt 22:37), and we are commanded to love our spouse with all our heart.  Just like our relationship with God is based on daily communication with Him, sharing our problems, our gratitude, our hopes, our weaknesses, our plans—that’s how we become closer to Him. The same is true of our spouse: daily communication…sharing our problems, our gratitude, our hopes, our weaknesses, our plans brings us closer to each other. I find it very helpful to focus on all the really good & sweet things I love about Bob—and when we do need to focus on one of the irritants in our marriage, to do so in a sweet and tender way. And that usually works vice versa. It allows us to more easily appreciate, and thus deeply enjoy, the joys of marriage. There are components of this that relate to missionary companions.

V’s 30-35 speak of the law of consecration. The early saints were not ready for it, thus the law of tithing was given. But the law of consecration will be the law on which the New Jerusalem is to be built. These verses can help us prepare ourselves.

V’s 43-51 speak of health and healing blessings and faith and taking care of ourselves. Health is like all good things we strive for: “We must do all we can, and then ask the Lord to do the rest, such as we cannot do. Hence we hold the medical and surgical profession in high regard….When we have done all we can then the Divine Power will be directly applicable and operative.” (Apostle James E Talmage) 

The Lord sees the larger picture that we often miss with our mortal vision. V 44 “The elders…shall pray for and lay their hands upon them in my name; and if they die they shall die unto me, and if they live they shall live unto me.” And v 46 speaks more of death and is the reason that I do not fear death at all. In fact, at this time of my life, when it appears that my major duties have been done, I actually look forward to my death –for I see it as graduation. (My only worry is that after I die, I will realize that we were living in a higher society before we came to earth and that my responsibilities there will be even larger than my responsibilities here. So I certainly do not seek death—I will let the Lord decide on when I go. But when that happens I will so look forward to the experience. I feel that I will still be able to look down on earth and will thus be able to keep up with those that are still on earth that I love so dearly, that possibly I will be able to exert some heavenly influence to help them along their various paths.) “And it shall come to pass that those that die in me shall not taste of death for it shall be sweet unto them.” And so my prayer for myself at this point of my life, is that I can continue to grow in faith—that I can use my strength to do good things for my family and for others—that I can share the peace and love and comfort I feel from my Heavenly Father with those around me—that I might find joy and gratitude in the small, but important, moments of daily life.

The other thing I so love about these verses is that they explain faith to enact the laws of God and faith to belief in God is v 52: “And they who have not faith to do these things but believe in me, have power to become my sons; and inasmuch as they break not my laws thou shalt bear their infirmities.”  We all progress at a different pace, and here the Lord provides two righteous ways to come unto him. In the event our faith isn’t developed enough to perform miracles, our belief in Christ and Heavenly Father will be plenty enough for us to return to him. Progression is eternal. While every one of us should do their utmost in following the commandments, in establishing and maintaining a relationship with Heavenly Father, and access to Christ’s atonement, and to a connection with the Holy Ghost—the Lord has made beautiful provisions for those of us who might move at a slower pace. The neat thing is that both paces will bring us the wonderful love and support of our Heavenly Father.

4/21/2021 – D&C 42:30-60

The Lord had begun teaching us about the law of consecration in 38:24 with the commandment “Let every man esteem his brother as himself”. Then in v 30 of this section He teaches us about the law of consecration: “thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support…” and then He emphasizes the significance and the importance of this work in v 31: “And inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, he will do it unto me…” I started to state v 33 as His ultimate goal, which is “that every man who has need may be amply supplied and receive according to his wants.” Yes, that is of great importance.  He wants the poor to be lifted up, but I believe He wants those who give to experience the growth and love that comes from reaching out to help others.  

It touches my heart to remember that to consecrate, means to make holy and devote to a sacred purpose—whether we donate goods, or time, or our talents, and certainly our love…it is helping others, which will always bring us closer to our fellow man, and to Heavenly Father.

He continues with His teachings in v 40 where he cautions us “thou shalt not be proud in thy heart”. We are not to be idle (v 42). He then speaks to the times when our faith has weakened, and promises that those “who have not faith to be healed, but believe. [and I think that includes hope and desire] shall be nourished with all tenderness…” (v 43) If we let the Lord into our lives, He WILL “gently lead us”. 

Elder Bruce R. McConkie: “It is written: ‘He who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.’ (D&C 88:22.) The law of sacrifice is a celestial law; so also is the law of consecration. Thus to gain that celestial reward which we so devoutly desire, we must be able to live these two laws. …We are not always called upon to live the whole law of consecration and give all of our time, talents, and means to the building up of the Lord’s earthly kingdom. …But what the scriptural account means is that to gain celestial salvation we must be able to live these laws to the full if we are called upon to do so. Implicit in this is the reality that we must in fact live them to the extent we are called upon so to do” (“Obedience, Consecration, and Sacrifice,” Ensign, May 1975, 50).

The Lord tells us that this is one of the ways we are able “to live together in love” (v45).

He goes on to speak of the importance of faith: “And again, it shall come to pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed. He who hath faith to see shall see. He who hath faith to hear shall hear. The lame who hath faith to leap shall leap. And they who have not faith to do these things, but believe in me, have power to become my sons; and inasmuch as they break not my laws…” (v 48-52)

And then He tells us the way to a satisfying life here on earth…helping us to return to Him with the skills we are able to learn here: “Thou shall take the things which thou has received, which have been given unto thee in my scriptures for a law, to be my law to govern my church.”  After 71 years of life, following His commandments is what has brought me love, growth, happiness, peace in difficult times, and a true purpose in life.