Sis. Debbie Orvin was kind enough to subsitute for our RS lesson today. The lesson was Chp. 1 of our new manual by Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, The Great Commandment - Love the Lord. Sister Orvin pointed out to us that there are many kinds of love: love for our children, love for friends, love of food (or chocolate!), love for our spouse, and even love for things that aren't good for us. The most important kind of love there is, however, is love for Heavenly Father. Mark 12:30 teaches us, "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."
Pres. Benson said, "When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives." This prophet's life reflected his love for the Lord and his commitment to live the gospel. An extended family member once said, "To Ezra and his family religion is a complete way of life - something to be lived seven days a week." Just like our opening hymn says, "I'll go where you want me to go, I'll say what you want me to say. I'll be what you want me to be." (Hymns, no. 270), we would all be better people if we lived our lives this way. "If we could all do that, we would be assured of the maximum of happiness here and exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God hereafter."
The great test of life is obedience to God.
The great task of life is to learn the will of the Lord and then do it.
The great commandment of life is to love the Lord.
"Come unto Christ," exhorts Moroni in his closing testimony, "....and love God with all your might, mind and strength" (Moroni 10:32). Pres. Benson says, "It is the pure love of Christ, called charity, that the Book of Mormon testifies is the greatest of all - that never faileth, that endureth forever, that all men should have, and that without which they are nothing." He also taught, "To love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and stregth is all-consuming and all-encompassing. It is no lukewarm endeavor. It is total commitment of our very being - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually - to a love of the Lord."
We all know what the 10 commandments are, however, if we keep and follow the 1st and 2nd great commandments - Love the Lord and Love thy Neighbor - then the rest are all taken care of. If we truly love God we will want to keep all of His other commandments.
Think about your home. What is the condition there? Are we striving to put the Lord first and to please Him? How are we doing it? The primary answers that we are all familiar with will help us. If we pray, read the scriptures, hold Family Home Evening, keep the commandments and make sure we are worthy for the temple, His blessings will come in abundance.
"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life."
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