“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop
the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may
combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of
God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated
every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded
in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the
Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
~ Joseph Smith
Elin, I really love the quote from Joseph Smith that you posted today... and I'm thinking about it in conjunction with your question (What part do I play in the prophecies?), and the discussion on yesterday's posts about discerning truth and error - along with your quote on Day 10. It's all about how Satan wants to mix us up about what is part of the plan and what isn't. In the end we will have to choose a "side" - and maybe, to our surprise, that choice will already have been made by all the little daily choices leading up to the big declaration of who's work we are really doing.
ReplyDeleteSome of our choices are really black and white (as Isaiah's prophecies say), and others are much more subtle (as the prophecies also say). In Seminary we have been shaking our heads in wonder at those stubborn, hard-hearted, blind Israelites who go a-whoring after other Gods all the time (look it up - it's a term! Deut. 31:16 among others). Why can't they see?? Of course WE never worship false gods in our modern world. Today I read this article:
www.deseretnews.com/article/700211033/Beyond-exercise-Yoga-can-be-a-spiritual-experience-for-all-faiths.html
Normally I don't find anything "off" with yoga (I've practiced and loved it), but this article - and the accompanying video clip online - all taking place in Spanish Fork Utah kind of opened my eyes so soon after reading the Isaiah chapters in Nephi's record (esp. 2 N 13 & 14). I'm still thinking about this! I also looked up some notes from Ed Wk that came to mind and found 1 Timothy 4: 1-4. Yikes.
I think it's all about recognizing boundaries in our fuzzy blurry world of choices. Yes, our body is the temple of our spirit and we need to take care of it and nurture it - but there is obviously a line, faint as it may be to modern human eyes, that crosses over into idolatry. We have to muster courage, once we have discerned the line, to stand up and say "As for me and my house..." . I'm pretty sure the Lord is interested in pointing out this line to us if we ask and listen.
Wow, a bit of an eye-opener today.