wbfrmsup@iowatelecom.net
Message for 2/16/2018
Dear Ones,
As we begin to comprehend the full measure of the blessings we have received from the Lord, we will begin to ask as the psalmist: “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?” (Psalm 116:12).
A young man, recently married, told me of losing and finding the fuel tank cap on his skid-loader. He had refueled and had neglected to replace the cap. It had jiggled off as he worked over quite a large area. It was pitch dark when he discovered the loss. He was concerned that he might get dirt in the fuel. He prayed as he began to search with a flashlight; “Lord, I will owe you one if you help me find the cap.” His prayer was answered a short time later, when he stepped on the cap!
How can we repay God? King Benjamin answered this question; “…all that he requires of you, is to keep his commandments…for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore, he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him; and are, and will be, for ever and ever…” (Mosiah 1:55-59).
John wrote: “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him (not Iscariot), Lord, how is it thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him” (John 14:21-23). What a joyous relationship that will be! “…in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11).
Jesus pleased the heavenly Father. He was introduced by the Father upon several occasions, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him” (Matthew 3:46 IV; 3:17 KJV, Matthew 17:4 IV; 17:5 KJV; 3 Nephi 5:8; History of the Church Volume 1, page 9).
Jesus said, “…I do nothing of myself; but as the Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me; the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him” (John 8:28-29).
As in all things, Jesus is our example. We should emulate the relationship he had with the Father. Jesus was with the Father. The Father taught him what to speak. He always did those things that pleased the Father. We should strive to have a similar relationship with the Father. Jesus prayed, “…as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us” (John 17:21). We should covet this wonderful, intimate relationship with the Father and the Son!
Is such a relationship possible for mortals to achieve? Yes! By faith Enoch was translated that he should not taste death; and was not found, because God translated him [and his city]; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5), (Genesis 7:27 IV; 5:24 KJV).
When I think of those who have exemplified requited love, or of those who have demonstrated the reciprocation of the love of Christ, I think of Mary and her alabaster box of ointment. Jesus said of her, “her sins which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much” (Luke 7:47). I also recall the testimony of Nicky Cruz, a famous gang member in New York City, who shouted, “I was no good. I was just a piece of meat! Then Jesus picked me up, cleaned me up, sanctified me and made me a child of The King! O’Jesus, I love you!”
Love to All,
Francis Harper
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Unrequited Love
(Love not returned)
The words, unrequited love, were impressed upon my mind by the Holy Spirit. They were repeated to me again and again. It is not unusual for me to be given unknown words and phrases of scripture by the Spirit. One of the functions of the Spirit is to teach. Jesus said “…the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).
The words of truth and knowledge being taught by the Spirit are often repeated over and over again for emphasis. The Comforter has brought passages of scripture to my mind with which I have not been previously familiar. Scripture such as “Without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22) and “For here have we no continuing city” (Hebrews 13:14) were unknown to me before the Spirit brought them to my mind and emphasized them. After the Spirit reveals and emphasizes specific scriptural passages in this way I open the Scriptures to study them and to firmly implant them in my mind.
I could not find the word unrequited in the Scriptures, nor could I find the word unrequited in my Webster’s new Collegiate Dictionary, copyright 1973. Finally this illusive word was found in Roget’s International Thesaurus, Fourth Edition. The meaning of the word is unpaid or unthankful. Why would the Holy Spirit bring this unknown word to me with such emphasis that I will never be able to forget it? Surely it is because none of us are as grateful as we should be for the Lord’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross and the multitude of other blessings he bestows upon us. We rarely return our love to him as we should!
Perhaps you can recall the hymn; “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, and the final words: “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all” (Hymns of the Saints, #265). The person who penned these words was gratefully responding to the love of the Savior as we should. This is requited love.
On Wednesday evening, February 7, 2018, as I was being checked out at the grocery store the charges totaled up to $32.71 and I had only $25.00 in my billfold! I had my credit card but in my frustration I did not think of it. I was holding up the line. I was frustrated. The man in the line behind me kindly offered to pay the additional $7.71 I owed. I asked for his name and promised to repay him for his generosity. He said, “How often do we have an opportunity to help someone?”
The next morning, I searched in the Harrison County Directory for my benefactor’s address. I planned to send him a thank you note and $10.00. Then I discovered I did not have any thank you notes on hand. I would need to purchase some. I decided to do my shopping at the local Dollar General. As I entered this store, I was amazed to see the person who had befriended me the night before, checking out with a couple of 6-packs of pop. I walked up to him and handed him a $10.00 bill and thanked him in person! We were both surprised to meet again so soon! Our meeting was more than coincidental; it was the precise timing of the Lord! I am convinced the Lord arranged this blessed encounter with my friend. Within a minute or so he would have been gone and we would have missed one another! This was one of those “God Winks” experiences.
I wondered. Are we as anxious to express our gratitude to God for all his benefits as I was to thank a stranger for paying $7.71 on my grocery bill? Gratitude is the precursor of love.
As King Benjamin said: “O how had you ought to thank your heavenly king!...if ye should serve him with all your whole soul, yet ye would be unprofitable servants” (Mosiah 1:51-54).
Paul wrote: “…in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves…disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” (2 Timothy 3:2). Unrequited love is a sign of the times in which we live. Let your hearts be full of thanks every day, all day. Alma wrote: “Yea, when thou liest down at night, lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning, let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day” (Alma 17:70).
No comments:
Post a Comment