“Be Thou My Vision”
God’s amazing love, the common denominator of all good faiths, springs forth with great power like a river. It flows in the beginning like glass without ripples and without sound, giving life and beauty to its surroundings, but as it is met with obstacles and adversities downstream (pride, envy, lust, greed, etc) it becomes distorted and divided, creating noise and chaos. God’s love is like the sun, the most dominant and all encompassing power from Heaven giving light and life to all inhabitants indiscriminately. Yet it is so often imitated on a stage giving focus to only the actors and leaving the audience in the dark.
Here are my thoughts on the Final Judgement.
“…The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts–what we have done. It is an acknowledgment of the final effect of our acts and thoughts–what we have become.” Elder Dallon H. Oaks – The Challenge to Become
Suppose there was a music student that was accepted into an undergraduate program. This person had the basic knowledge and skill to play but he knew he had a long way to go before he could get on stage and play a solo recital for the hour and half that was required. This great recital was in four years and if he did well he would be accepted into the Master’s Program. His instructor was not only a highly recognized virtuoso at the grand piano, but a great teacher as well. His critique was always carefully delivered in a way as to not offend his students and he never ran out of patience. Over time, a few students dropped out of the program feeling that they would prefer to enjoy the freedom and indifference of youth more than the drudgery of study and practice. This one student, however, stayed believing that he could graduate with minimal practice and rely on the tender mercies of his instructor.
As he got to his last year, having practiced very little and only from time time – he began noticing that the recital was quickly arriving. Other students around him were getting quite good, being able to play Bach, Beethoven,Chopin, etc. He was able to play a few folk songs such as “She’ll be comin’ round the mountain” and “Home on the Range”. As the reality began to set in he went to his instructor and asked for forgiveness and help. Without hesitation his instructor forgave him and gave him his full attention. All that time that he had wasted was really starting to bother him and he was beginning to panic and yet his instructor patiently worked with him all the way up to the recital. The day finally came, he got on stage, played the few songs that he knew. The instructor smiled and the audience applauded, but what was going through the mind of the student when it was over? These are the questions we ought to be thinking about rather than who will be saved and who will not.
The Great Plan of Happiness is an eternal path of progression that begins with the regular practice of obedience and righteousness until we become virtuosos. Some days can be difficult and discouraging, but the day will come when God will listen to your recital and will not be concerned about your past mistakes but on what you have become relative to the opportunity you were given.