On November 21st, I was invited to participate at an Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Celebration. There were ministers from about a dozen denominations on the program, lots of beautiful music, candles and fellowship. The theme was Light. I was asked to read from the Book of Mormon, and share a few thoughts on this topic. Here is the message I shared with them:
LIGHT
The
Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ
Moroni chapter 7, verses 16-19:
16 For behold, the Spirit of
Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I
show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and
to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of
Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
17 But whatsoever thing
persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve
not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for
after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no,
not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto
him.
18 And now, my brethren, seeing
that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of
Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which
ye judge ye shall also be judged.
19 Wherefore, I beseech of you,
brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may
know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn
it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.
The
Light of Christ has been described as the divine energy, power, or influence
that proceeds from God through Christ and gives life and light to all things.
The Light of Christ influences people for good and prepares them to receive the
Holy Ghost. (LDS.org)
Jesus Christ said, “I am the light
of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have
the light of life.” (John 8)
The
Light of Christ "proceeds forth from the presence of God to fill the
immensity of space." It is "the light which is in all things, which
giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed."
This power is an influence for good in the lives of all people. In the
scriptures, the Light of Christ is sometimes called the Spirit of the Lord, the
Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, or the Light of Life. (D&C 88:6-13, John 1:9, D&C 93:2)
The Light of Christ inspires poets, writers, artists, and
musicians. It motivates people to study,
seek and experiment, ultimately leading to advances in science, medicine and
technology that bless our lives.
Top of
Form The
Light of Christ is often referred to as our conscience. It is the influence of
God that inspires us to be good and to do good things. It guides people to be kind to one another, to share of
their means, to care for the sick and needy. The more we yield to that influence
to do good, the more that light increases within us. When we ignore those promptings and turn from
the light, those promptings dim and may ultimately decrease.
When our minds are darkened, it
becomes difficult to think and to see things clearly. We may struggle with
decisions and lose sight of what we once knew and felt. We begin to make
mistakes and poor choices. We may lose our way and find ourselves without hope.
Walking in the light of Christ, we are able to see clearly
and discern between right and wrong. We recognize truth when we hear it and it
becomes easier to make righteous choices. We feel hope in our hearts as we view
our lives from an eternal perspective. Then, as we open our hearts to receive
the Light of Christ, that light continues to grow and illuminate our minds.
Dieter F.
Uchtdorf of the First Presidency of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has said: “ Every time you
turn your hearts to God in humble prayer, you experience His light. Every
time you seek His word and will in the scriptures, the light grows in
brightness. Every time you notice someone in need and sacrifice your own comfort
to reach out in love, the light expands and swells. Every time you reject
temptation and choose purity, every time you seek or extend forgiveness, every
time you courageously testify of truth, the light chases away darkness and
attracts others who are also seeking light and truth.” Bearers of Heavenly Light Oct 2017
We all have this light within us, no matter who we are, no
matter our race, gender, or culture. It
existed in us before we were born, and will be with us throughout our
lives. And…it will not perish when our
time on this Earth is through.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
- Cindy Erekson, Stake Relief Society President
