Moroni saw me daily
In the middle of a society set on self-destruction, a father sent the most inspiring message to his son. Do Not Give Up! 2020 has now become known as the "Year of Challenges." Every generation goes through a painful event that causes people to reflect on life, to reevaluate what is important in their lives. 911 scocked millions in the United States and the world when the Twin Towers fell at the self-deleting intentions of terrorist. Civil upheaval and claims of presidential voter fraud has upset the democratic trust of US citizens and supporters of democracy around the globe who look to that nation as a standard of freedom. Most important is the COVID-19 pandemic that sweeps the globe resulting in fear, sickness, contention, and death. Graduating classes cancelled, social interactions limited, Holidays alone, political contention, confusion about the truth, sickness, job loss, and death constantly haunting the minds of people around the world can easily cause despair! This father of which I wrote, Mormon, told his son not to fear and allow what is going on around him to cause him to lose HOPE. Moroni, the last person known to have handled the record that became what we call The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, included in the record the last letters his father Mormon wrote to him before he interred the record. On those gold plated pages, Moroni transcribed the words of debauchery and turmoil happening in his lands. He described a world of rapine, cannibalism, and war. He informed Mornoi, Behold, I am laboring with them continually; and when I speak the word of God with sharpness they tremble and anger against me; and when I use no sharpness they harden their hearts against it; wherefore, I fear lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with them. For so exceedingly do they anger that it seemeth me that they have no fear of death; and they have lost their love, one towards another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually. [Moroni 8:4-5] Jesus Christ, of whom many of us are followers, taught that we should love one another as we love ourselves. This seems to mean that as we do not allow ourselves to go without care and love if we have the power to do it we do not allow another person to go without care and love. Fulfilling that demand of being a true follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ applies to our ability and means to do so. Mormon told his son, "And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God." [Moroni 8:6] As followers of Jesus Christ, Christians, we have the opportunity to show the love of Christ by diligently serving them no matter if they listen to our message of salvation through Christ or not. We can still serve as Jesus served and love as He loved. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. [John 3:16] Jesus willingly gave up His life to honor God by paying the price for our sins, suffering them! Imagine if all followers of Christ loved both enemies and friends with enough love to give up their lives if called to do so. Mormon wrote, "My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever." [Mormon 8:25] HAVE HOPE is the understanding it gives. Do not allow the political unrest to disturb your faith and hope n the goodness of God and His plan for humanity. Do not let despair pull you down when you know, in the end, you will win the day if you remain filled with hope. Your people may seem lost and fallen now, but the mercy of God is one that will be fully fair and full of love. Hope that Christ's grace is sufficient to heal all wounds still apply in the worst of times as well in the best of times. We get to be the candle that Jesus taught about that gives light to the whole room by the way we conduct our lives. We #LightTheWorld with our good works so that all people can experience Christ vicariously through us. We get to share in the joy and power of Christ to heal the hearts of people by being His hands. We get to be a portion of his light. As He declared, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.." [John 8:12]
Let us us His light to #LifhrTheWorld around us this Christmas and henceforth. |
Rodric AnthonyWriter of the Book Moroni Saw Me and Father of Seven. Archives
November 2021
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