With all of this hype and hupla about the New Year falling upon us, I asked myself "What New Year's resolutions do I want to have for the coming year?" I have even investigated this idea a little by asking members in discussions and lessons what they plan on changing in this coming year. Many of them joke and say "To go on a diet" some of them say, "I don't like making resolutions at all because I always fail them." The most prophetic answer however, was "I don't make resolutions because the moment I decide something is wrong that I can fix I just do it."
Why can't we just do it? Why do we as individuals need to wait a whole year when we can start today? We can start in July, we can start it whenever. Then why do we as individuals wait for a whole year to pass before we have the slightest motivation to change our nature?
If their is one thing I have learned from being out on my mission it is that the Atonement is real. It is a real thing. It is not just some fictitious story made up to amuse the masses and make the sinners feel better. It is real! Jesus Christ came to the earth and paid for our sins not just by being lifted up on the cross but also by the blood he sweat from every pore on Calvary. And what was the purpose of this? It was so that we could make the decision to change now! He did it so that we would have the opportunity to correct our mistakes and become new creatures born of God. But why did he do this? He did it because he loved us and he knew that it was the only way. I can only imagine what might have been going through Jesus's head as he begged the Father, "If thou wilt, take this cup from me." But he knew that if the Father did take away the pain, then their would be no way that man could be redeemed and return to live back in the presence of Heavenly Father. Therefore he came to the America's after he passed and rose from the dead. He ministered to the people in the American content and said:
"And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons (and daughters) of God; and even so will I to as many as shall believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in me is the law of Moses fulfilled." -3 Nephi 9:17 The Book of Mormon, another Testament of Jesus Christ.
And all this was done so that everyone would know of the infinite gift he gave to all of us. The first gift of Christmas was not something bought at the store or anything that someone could have found online. The first gift was Him, it was our Savior Jesus Christ. Many people think about the first gift now and again. But what we need to remember was the second gift. The gift our savior gave us by dyeing for us and freeing us from these bonds of mortality. Because of Him we have the opportunity to become those new creatures. We have the opportunity to make those changes now and become His Sons and Daughters. Can you imagine that? Children of a God. This coming New Year I challenge all to reflect on how they can come closer to our Savior Jesus Christ and then just do it. The point is that we shouldn't be waiting a whole year to embrace a gift he gave us to use all the time. The Atonement is real. Let us embrace this gift and feel our Saviors love pour out to us as we strive to become more like His Son. I say this in the sacred name of my beloved Savior Jesus Christ Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment