Of Sacrifice and Octupi



Uh Oh...

I was thinking recently about giving things up--whether it be addictions, things that just hold us back from who we want to be, or whatever--and in my often-runs-amok imagination, I thought what it must be like to have an octopus stuck on your face.  That would really suck (pun most assuredly intended)!  Even if you got a few of his tentacles off of you, he's still got 6 more legs to latch back onto you.  Not good.  Giving things (or people, or habits, etc.) up that we've become really attached to (or that have really become attached to us) can be difficult, especially when we don't necessarily want to give them up but we know we need to.  But every time we give something up that is holding us back from a closer relationship with God or with doing His will, no matter how hard it may hold on, no matter how difficult it may seem, we can and will be strengthened.

Think for a moment about the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000.  This little boy has 2 loaves of bread and a few small fishes.  That's all he had.  By himself, he couldn't have done what was needed.  But then he gave it all to Jesus, and Jesus did what no one else could do.  Think for a second about the faith of that little boy.  He didn't just give some of the bread and a couple of the fishes to Jesus; he gave all that he had--that's when the miracle happened. 

Pause and think about that in terms of you trying to be better, to "be ye therefore perfect", as Jesus' injunction goes.  Can we do it all on our own?  Heavens no!  We don't have nearly enough to get to where we want to be!  But when we give all that we have, Jesus takes our meager offering and multiplies it until the job is done.  So don't worry if your present situation sucks like having an octopus on your face.  Do your best, He'll do the rest.

Much Love,
Elder Spendlove

PS here's a cool talk about Christ's all and our all.  Might help illustrate this better.

Jesus and boy: https://net-at-hand.s3.amazonaws.com/sites/10732/images/15191_full.jpg
Octopus image: http://www.dinosaurtypes.org/images/other_prehistoric-creatures/sea_creatures/Giant_Octpus/Giant_octopus.jpg

God is Our Loving Heavenly Father

I have considered many things lately about my posting, and one of the things I want to do is talk about a different principle of the Gospel that we missionaries teach each Wednesday.  So basically until I notify you otherwise, you can expect a little tidbit of simple doctrine every Wednesday.  :)

Today I wanted to talk just a little about our Heavenly Father (God).  Like His name implies, He is literally our Father, not just some ephemeral mass somewhere in the cosmos.  We look like He does--we were created in His image after all-- and we have the potential to become like Him someday.  He really loves us a LOT--check out what Paul has to say about it:

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38 & 39)

Pretty cool, right?  Like he says, the love of God is manifested in the fact that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our mistakes and fill in the holes that we or others leave in our lives (see also John 3:16)!  Amazing.  There are many ways that God shows His love for us which we will discuss in the coming weeks; I want to share one way that I feel His love.  I know God loves me because He always gives me a second (third, fourth, fifth...) chance!  Because He will never give up on me, He allows me to come to Him with my boo-boos and be healed through the power of His Son.  Pretty miraculous that somebody as imperfect and foolhardy as I could merit such love and mercy--but that's the thing about God.  He is a God of miracles. 

If you have felt God's love in your life recently, post a reply here so others can feel of His love too, then share the love by inviting your friends to check out my blog and add me on facebook!  We're trying to get a worldwide web of love started here! 

Much love,
Elder Spendlove