Friday, December 18, 2009

Ten Days of Giving Thanks...Day Ten

It's been a busy, busy time; but not too busy to continue thinking about what I am thankful for. (Just too busy to blog!)

I am thankful for Jesus Christ.

How to you fit all of that into one little blog? Without details, and without completion, I guess. Actually, even if I had all the time and space in the world, it would be impossible to say all that I feel.

Because of Jesus Christ, life is full and rich and meaningful and joy-filled. It all hinges on Him.

I am the oldest child in my family. This has given me the opportunity to be the leader in many ways (though each child is so, so important). This week I considered what it meant to Jesus when Father presented his Plan of Happiness in what I call the Big Family Home Evening. Jesus understood the Plan in ways that maybe some of the younger siblings did not. He knew that it would take courage and SO. MUCH. LOVE. to be the Savior for all of us. Perhaps He stood still, looking around at all of us and wondering if He was up to such a task. But in the end--and for all eternity!!--He did it. He volunteered to be our Savior, our Redeemer, our Advocate, our Exemplar. And then He completed the task, something that is completely incomprehensible but oh, so important to me. He did it with courage. He did it with love. He did it to completion. He did it perfectly. He did it for you. He did it for me. He did it for everyone. Ever. His atoning sacrifice is infinite and eternal. For eternity, I will never be able to repay or adequately thank Him for what He did--and does--for me and the people I love.

And all because He did what He said He would do--what He volunteered to do!--we have the tools for a beautiful today and the promise of a beautiful eternity with the people we love. We can return to our Heavenly Parents (this is meaningful to me because of the incredible love I have for my earthly parents); we can be sealed to our spouses and children (!!!! infinity) for eternity; we can continue to learn and progress forever; we can overcome the things that are difficult or painful or that hurt us; we can see beyond the diapers and the dishes and the other daily duties to something better.

And now, as pertaining to this perfect atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God—I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person.

I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.

But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way. --Bruce R. McConkie

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