Of all the principles of
the gospel that have changed, blessed, and enriched my life there is one that
so often stands out to me. The principle of mercy is as sweet and edifying as
it is essential for mortal life.
In 1994 as a new convert to
the Church, I very often found myself concerned with whether or not I had
repented fully of various, daily transgressions such as an unkind thought or word
that I may have had or said. I discussed this concern with a friend of mine
whom was a very special example to me of how to live the gospel. She knew more
of the doctrine of the church than I at the time but we both shared the
blessings that come of having a testimony of the gospel and living the
commandments. When I was voicing my concerns to her she very simply and very
powerfully stated to me that the Savior is full of mercy. That simple phrase
has stayed with me throughout the years since.
Our Savior’s mercy spans
what we can’t do ourselves as well as the very special blessings that he
bestows on us in our lives.
In 1977 Boyd K. Packer taught: “And,
by eternal law, mercy cannot be
extended save there be one who is both willing and able to assume our debt and
pay the price and arrange the terms for our redemption.
Unless there is a mediator, unless we
have a friend, the full weight of justice untempered, unsympathetic, must,
positively must fall on us. The full recompense for every transgression,
however minor or however deep, will be exacted from us to the uttermost
farthing.
But know this: Truth, glorious truth,
proclaims there is such a Mediator.
“For there is one God, and one
mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 2:5.)
Through Him mercy can be fully extended to each of us
without offending the eternal law of justice.”
Later
in his talk he shared, "If justice decrees that we are not eligible because of our
transgression, mercy provides a probation, a penitence, a preparation to enter
in."
In the March 2005 Liahona,
Elder David A. Bednar describes mercy so well. He said, "Through
personal study, observation, pondering, and prayer, I believe I have come to
better understand that the Lord’s tender mercies are the very personal and
individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance,
loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive
from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, the Lord suits
“his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men” (D&C
46:15).
The Lord of all is able to
cover the mistakes that we make so that we can be forgiven and be clean in
order to enter his presence and the presence of our Heavenly Father. His
atonement is more than sufficient to cover that which we repent for and the
sorrows that we sometimes must endure. Our Father in heaven knows our
needs and what is best for us and does all He can to bring to pass blessings in
our lives.
Elder Bednar also
mentioned: “I repeat again, the Lord’s tender mercies do not occur
randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness and obedience enable us to
receive these important gifts and, frequently, the Lord’s timing helps us to
recognize them. We should not underestimate or
overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness,
and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and
protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live. When
words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is
simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and
reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities
of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a
desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly
we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the
power of deliverance.”
And what
does deliverance mean to us?
As a single adult I attended
a conference in Atlanta in which the theme for the conference was The Tender
Mercies of the Lord. While attending the activity I thought about what tender
mercies means. It wasn’t until a special, personal blessing that came into my
life regarding the welfare of one of my children, just a day after the
conference concluded, that I not only could think about tender mercies of the
Lord, but I could see and sweetly feel them as well. My testimony of Our Father
in Heaven’s mindfulness of each of his children grew that day and has grown
with every blessing He has given to me since.
Tender mercies are
blessings, divine intervention in our lives, help and assistance from the Lord;
essentially, miracles.
In my personal opinion
mercy is an essential part of the gospel. To me; mercy is charity, the pure
love of Christ, in action.
Mercy is the safety net
and love of our Savior in the form of blessings, miracles, and the
never-ceasing wonder and power of the atonement.
Mercy is the divine
protection of a child from serious harm or the subsiding of illness.
Mercy is the personal
revelation to a weary child of God, needing the knowledge and strength that
comes from that message from the Spirit that they may or may not have been praying
for.
Mercy is that visit from a
sister or brother that curbs the loneliness and burden of a trial.
Mercy is forgiveness for our mistakes-the things that
keep us from perfection in this mortal tabernacle- that puts the atonement into
real and sweet action in our lives.
Mercy is the Savior
holding us in his hand, full of His love, as only Our Elder Brother and the
Only Begotten can do.
Comments
Post a Comment