The BYU magazine that we receive each month always has some great stuff inside.
Interesting facts, funny stories, inspiring talks and so on but about a month ago Brent brought a certain article to my attention. I'm so glad he did. I am going to use this when it's my turn to for the lesson in FHE. I'm going to give a copy of it to Sis and D and ask them to read it before hand. For Cooper, we'll read together and I'll talk him through it.
His Grace Is Sufficient , written by Bradley Wilcox has been my source of reading lately. I've read it over and over. Probably about five or six times now. It is the absolutely BEST article written about the Atonement of our Savior. At least for me.
It is so worth while and speaks truth so clearly. The first time I read it I was excited! It felt so good to read and think to myself "wow! this is amazing!" And even better to read it a second time and think "truth is clear and simple". Each time I read it I am able to feel the Comforter speaking peace, truth and hope to my heart. There are so many little tidbits in it that I love, like the story right at the beginning...
A BYU student once came to me and asked if we could talk. I said, “Of course. How can I help you?”
She said, “I just don’t get grace.”
I responded, “What is it that you don’t understand?”
She said, “I know I need to do my best and then Jesus does the rest, but I can’t even do my best.”
She then went on to tell me all the things she should be doing because she’s a Mormon that she wasn’t doing.
She continued, “I know that I have to do my part and then Jesus makes up the difference and fills the gap that stands between my part and perfection. But who fills the gap that stands between where I am now and my part?”
She then went on to tell me all the things that she shouldn’t be doing because she’s a Mormon, but she was doing them anyway.
Finally I said, “Jesus doesn’t make up the difference. Jesus makes all the difference. Grace is not about filling gaps. It is about filling us.”
Seeing that she was still confused, I took a piece of paper and drew two dots—one at the top representing God and one at the bottom representing us. I then said, “Go ahead. Draw the line. How much is our part? How much is Christ’s part?”
She went right to the center of the page and began to draw a line. Then, considering what we had been speaking about, she went to the bottom of the page and drew a line just above the bottom dot.
I said, “Wrong.”
She said, “I knew it was higher. I should have just drawn it, because I knew it.”
I said, “No. The truth is, there is no line. Jesus filled the whole space. He paid our debt in full. He didn’t pay it all except for a few coins. He paid it all. It is finished.”
She said, “Right! Like I don’t have to do anything?”
“Oh no,” I said, “you have plenty to do, but it is not to fill that gap. We will all be resurrected. We will all go back to God’s presence. What is left to be determined by our obedience is what kind of body we plan on being resurrected with and how comfortable we plan to be in God’s presence and how long we plan to stay there.”
The talk goes on with an analogy, using piano lessons as its subject and it makes perfect sense to me. Even if you or your children have never taken lessons, the point is very clear and a perfect parallel to what you may do in your family. At the end of this analogy he teaches...
Put simply, if Jesus didn’t require practice, then we would never become pianists.
The last section of the talk is titled Christ's Grace is Sufficient to Help Us. It is so clear and easy to understand. Brother Wilcox said...
I wrote him back and testified with all my heart that Christ is not waiting at the finish line once we have done “all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23). He is with us every step of the way.
Am I the only one that at times sees the plan as a journey with Jesus Christ standing at the "finish line" cheering me on? I know my Savior is with me along the way but sometimes in my mortal mind this is how I saw it. While reading and learning and being taught by the Spirit through this talk, that image has been taken from my mind.
Towards the end there is a part where he talks about the pioneers and the arduous journey that was continually in front of them and how they sang and understood the words of "Grace shall be as your day".
“Grace shall be as your day”—what an interesting phrase. We have all sung it hundreds of times, but have we stopped to consider what it means? “Grace shall be as your day”: grace shall be like a day. As dark as night may become, we can always count on the sun coming up. As dark as our trials, sins, and mistakes may appear, we can always have confidence in the grace of Jesus Christ. Do we earn a sunrise? No. Do we have to be worthy of a chance to begin again? No. We just have to accept these blessings and take advantage of them. As sure as each brand-new day, grace—the enabling power of Jesus Christ—is constant. Faithful pioneers knew they were not alone. The task ahead of them was never as great as the power behind the them.
I'm excited that Brent and I are going to be serving as Ma and Pa on the trek for our Stake in May. We plan to use that in our devotionals with our "family". : )
Brother Wilcox ends his talk with truth so pure and hope so real that is pierces my soul each time I read the words...
I testify that God’s grace is sufficient. Jesus’ grace is sufficient. It is enough. It is all we need. Oh, young people, (and might I add everyone else too!) don’t quit. Keep trying. Don’t look for escapes and excuses. Look for the Lord and His perfect strength. Don’t search for someone to blame. Search for someone to help you. Seek Christ, and, as you do, I promise you will feel the enabling power we call His amazing grace. I leave this testimony and all of my love—for I do love you. As God is my witness, I love the youth of this church. I believe in you. I’m pulling for you. And I’m not the only one. Parents are pulling for you, leaders are pulling for you, and prophets are pulling for you. And Jesus is pulling with you.
I know that I have practically copied the entire talk right here but I hope you'll follow the link and read the words...take the time to feel and learn from them as I did. I am in no way saying that I completely understand the Atonement of my Savior. That is something I will continue to seek for and learn of throughout my life but I know I was meant to read and reread this talk at this time in my life. Our testimonies grow and are strengthened at different times for different reasons. I'm extremely grateful to ponder the things that I'm doing and/or could be doing better. Understanding this and working at it will bring me to where I want to be...
back with my Heavenly Father and Savior and to feel comfortable and at home in their presence.
