The Lord invites us using various verbs: “Come unto me,” “Follow me,” “Walk with me.” In each case it is an invitation to act.
“For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word.”1 Today this scripture is fulfilled once more as I have been given the opportunity to express my feelings in my native tongue.
It
was the year 1975, and I was serving in the Uruguay-Paraguay Mission as
a young missionary. During my first month in the mission, the zone
leaders held an activity to demonstrate a gospel principle. Each
missionary in the zone was blindfolded, and we were told that we were to
follow a path leading to the cultural hall. We were to follow the voice
of one particular leader, a voice we heard before starting to walk.
However, we were warned that during the journey, we would hear several
voices that would try to confuse us and get us to stray from the path.
After
some minutes of hearing noises, talking, and—in the midst of it all—a
voice that said, “Follow me,” I felt confident I was following the right
voice. When we arrived at the cultural hall of the chapel, we were
asked to take off our blindfolds. When I did so, I realized that there
were two groups and that I was in the group that had followed the wrong
voice. “It sounded so much like the right one,” I said to myself.
That
experience of 39 years ago had a lasting effect on me. I told myself,
“Never, ever again follow the wrong voice.” Then I told myself, “Yes,
Lord, I will follow Thee.”
I want to relate this experience with the Savior’s tender invitation to us:
“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep. …
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”2
The
invitation to “follow Him” is the most simple, direct, and powerful
invitation we can receive. It comes from a clear voice that cannot be
confused.
The
Lord invites us using various verbs: “Come unto me,” “Follow me,” “Walk
with me.” In each case it is not a passive invitation; it is an
invitation to act. It is addressed to all mankind by the one who is the
Prophet of prophets, the Teacher of teachers, the Son of God, the
Messiah.
The Invitation to “Come unto Me”
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”3
You
who are not yet members of the Church will receive this invitation
through the voice of the missionaries with the words, “Will you read the
Book of Mormon? Will you pray? Will you attend church? Will you follow
the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by those who have
authority?”4 How will you answer this invitation today?5
I invite you to listen to and accept the message by saying, “Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!”
Carlos
Badiola and his family, of Minas, Uruguay, were meeting with the
missionaries. Since the elders asked a lot of questions during the
lessons, they decided to invite a nonmember neighbor—a beautiful
14-year-old girl named Norma—to help them answer. Norma was a dedicated
high school student who was studying the Bible at school that year, so
when the missionaries asked a question, Norma answered. She was a
“golden investigator.” The lesson taught that day was about the Word of
Wisdom.
When
she returned home after the lesson with the missionaries, Norma knew
what she had to do. She said to her mother, “Mom, from now on, no more
coffee with milk for me. Just milk.” That response was the visible
manifestation of her desire to accept the invitation to follow Christ,
as extended by the missionaries.
Both
Carlos Badiola and Norma were baptized. Later on, following Norma’s
example, her mother, father, and siblings were also baptized. Norma and I
grew up together in that little but powerful branch. Later on, when I
returned from serving a mission, we were married. I always knew that it
would be easier to follow the Savior with her by my side.
One
who is a member of the Church and has accepted this invitation renews
the commitment each week by partaking of the sacrament.6 Part of that commitment includes keeping the commandments; by doing so you are saying, “Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!”7
The Invitation to “Follow Me”
“Follow
me” was the Lord’s invitation to the rich young ruler. The rich man had
kept the commandments throughout his life. When he asked what more he
could do, he received an answer with a clear invitation: “Come, … follow
me.”8
However, even though the invitation was simple, it was not without
sacrifice. It required effort—coupled with decision and action.
The
prophet Nephi invited self-reflection when he questioned: “And [Jesus]
said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved
brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the
commandments of the Father?”9
The
invitation to “come unto me,” to listen to His voice, and to follow it
has been the message of missionaries from the beginning, helping many to
change their lives for good.
Fifty
years ago the missionaries entered my father’s watchmaker shop to leave
a watch to be repaired. As good missionaries do, they took advantage of
the opportunity to speak with my father and mother about the gospel. My
father accepted the missionaries, and my mother accepted the message
and invitation to follow Christ. From that day to this, she has remained
active in the Church. She said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!”
As you strive to come to Him, you will gain the power to relieve life’s burdens, whether physical or spiritual, and experience a positive inner change that will help you be happier.
The Invitation to “Walk with Me”
Enoch
was called to preach the gospel to a difficult, hard-hearted people. He
did not feel qualified. He had doubts about whether he could do it. The
Lord calmed his doubts and strengthened his faith through the
invitation “Walk with me”—an invitation that, like a blind man’s cane or
a friend’s arm, can guide the footsteps of one whose step is not sure.
By taking the Savior’s arm and walking with Him, Enoch found that his
step became firm and he became a great missionary and a prophet.10
The
decision to “come unto me” and “follow me” is personal. When we accept
this invitation, our level of commitment is raised, and it is then that
we can “walk with Him.” This level establishes a closer relationship
with the Savior—the fruit of our accepting the first invitation.
Norma
and I individually accepted the invitation to “come unto me” and to
“follow me.” Then, together, supporting each other, we have learned to
walk with Him.
The effort and the determination to seek Him and to follow Him will be rewarded with the blessings we need.
Such was the case of the woman who, with great effort, managed to touch the Savior’s garment11 or of Bartimaeus the blind man, whose determination was a key factor in the miracle that happened in his life.12 In both cases a healing of body and spirit was granted.
Reach out your hand, touch His garment, accept His invitation, say, “Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!”—and walk with Him.
“Come
unto me,” “Follow me,” and “Walk with me” are invitations containing
inherent power—for those who accept them—to transform your life and
generate a change within you that will lead you to say, “[I] have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”13
As
an outward manifestation of that change, you will feel the strong
desire to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and
strengthen the feeble knees.”14
What steps can we take today to “walk with Him”?
- Feed the desire to be a better follower of Christ.15
- Pray for this desire that your faith in Him may grow.16
- Obtain knowledge from the scriptures, lighting the way and strengthening your desire to change.17
- Make the decision today to act and say, “Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!” Simply knowing the truth will not change your world unless you turn knowledge into action.18
- Persevere in the decision you have made by exercising these principles daily.19
May
the words of our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, motivate
us to action in our desire to accept the Savior’s invitation. President
Monson said: “Who is the King of glory, this Lord of hosts? He is our
Master. He is our Savior. He is the Son of God. He is the Author of our
Salvation. He beckons, ‘Follow me.’ He instructs, ‘Go, and do thou
likewise.’ He pleads, ‘Keep my commandments.’”20
May
we make the decision today to increase our level of worship and
commitment to God, and may our response to His invitation be heard loud
and clear: “Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!”21 In the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
© 2014 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All Rights Reserved
WHAT I HEARD:
- There is only “One” voice that we should follow…the Savior’s!
- There will be “other” voices that will try to deceive and confuse us and that may even sound similar or familiar.
- To follow the Savior’s voice we must KNOW His voice…what it sounds like, how he talks, when he talks...
- His voice is clear and cannot be confused…though it is still and small.
- His invitation is not passive…we must COME…move towards Him…act
- Accepting Christ’s invitation requires a VISIBLE manifestation in our words and actions and sacrifice
- It is easier to follow Christ with others rather than alone…take someone with you on your journey:)
- You haven’t done “everything” the Lord requires until you have/are willing to leave all your “stuff”
- No one can say they follow Jesus and not keep His commandments
- Come+Listen+Follow=Change
- Come=relief of burdens; positive inner change; happiness
- Are we a “difficult and hard-hearted” people for the prophet to preach to?
- Our “walk” can become sure when guided by the Savior’s arm.
- We cannot force another to accept Christ’s invitation to follow him. It is a personal decision; Just like every ordinance is personal…one on one.
- Your own determination can be a key factor in whether or not you receive miracles in your life.
- It is not uncommon for the healing of the body to be accompanied by the healing of the spirit.
- Walking with the Savior means we’ll show it outwardly in the things we do:
- a strong desire to succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down and strengthen the feeble knees – followed by appropriate action
- “First observe”, then feel compassion, “then Serve”
- How to walk with Christ:
- FEED your desire to be a better follower
- PRAY for the desire to be better and for increased faith
- SEARCH the scriptures for knowledge that will light your way and strengthen your desire to change.
- DECIDE TODAY to act. You cannot just ‘say’ you will do it.
- ACT
- PERSEVERE in your decision to ACT DAILY.
- Follow the Prophet! He has asked you to follow the Savior and keep His commandments. Your safety lies in your obedience!
- Make a FIRM decision to NEVER follow the wrong voice!
- Even more important, make a firm decision to FOLLOW the right voice!
- Let go; trust!
- Every day in prayer, and every week during the Sacrament - say, “Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!”
- Follow up that prayer of clear intention with decisive, outward action…not to be seen of men, but to praise the Father and the Son and manifest plainly to them my love for them.
- Share Christ’s invitation in everyday conversations
- Decide today to increase my level of worship and commitment to God by these consistent actions: Search, Ponder, Pray, Observe, Compassion, Serve
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.