Post # 68 – Come, Follow Me – Week 3
Dear Family and Friends
This week January 14 – 20 we are studying Matthew 2 and
Luke 2. I hope that you have taken the opportunity to read these two chapters. I was thinking after I read this account and I
wondered about Jesus and His birth. He was a God, and He agreed to His Father’s
plan –to come to earth—not to be born amongst the wealthy or affluent of His
day, but to be born in a manger – amongst the hay and animals – because there
was no room for Him in the inn. Have you ever really thought about His birth in
that way before? I mean I have always known that He was born in a manger, lain
in a bed of straw or hay and wrapped in swaddling clothes. He gave up His Godhood
(I guess that’s a word😊) to come to earth, to be born in very
lowly circumstances, to grow up in as a mere carpenter’s son, then be basically
tortured, humiliated and put to death. And He made this sacrifice for each of
us – to save us all – one by one!
I believe that we all need our Savior, Jesus Christ. The most
important thing we can do in our lives is to open our hearts, our minds, and our
lives and make room for Him! Seek Him! The scripture readings for this week teach
us about the people who were seeking Him before His birth, the wisemen, the Prophetess
Anna, and Simeon. Luke chapter two relates of Joseph and Mary’s journey to
Bethlehem, because that was the town of Joseph was from. This chapter tells of Jesus’s
birth, of the angel appearing to the shepherds in the field to tell them of the
good news. The shepherds went immediately to “find the babe wrapped in
swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” After they had seen Mary and
joseph and the Christ child, they went about the land telling or teaching what
they had been taught by the angel.
From these humble shepherds we learn that we should share
the gospel when we learn it. We can only share what we know right? The angel
told the shepherds to “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings
of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day in the city of
David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Then remember after
the angel told them they would “find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying
in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
good will toward men.” Think about this for a minute – we give glory
to God by doing His will and giving Him credit for all things, and we have
peace on earth and should show good will toward all men. Can you imagine how
much different our neighborhoods would be if we praised God more and showed
good will toward all men?
The next person in this chapter was a just and devout man
named Simeon. He was a faithful disciple who kept the commandments as the
scriptures say that the Holy Ghost revealed to him that he would see the “Lord’s
Christ” before he died. Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem to present
Him to the Lord as was their custom. Simeon was led by the Spirit to go the
temple at the same time that Mary and Joseph brought Jesus there “to do
for him after the custom of the law.”” Then he took him up in his arms, and blessed
God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to
thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before
the face of all people. A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy
people Israel.”
We learn from Simeon that when we are righteously engaged
in the Lords work, we are opened to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. Also,
how important it is when we get those promptings from the Holy Ghost that we
should act on them immediately! He was told by the holy Ghost that he would see
Jesus before his time to die. Had he not been righteous and keeping the commandments
he might not have been I a position to hear the Holy Ghost and may not have
been at the temple at the right time to have seen and blessed Jesus. But he had
been told that he would see the Child before he died – so that was a promise of
the Lord, but had he not been living worthily to have the constant companionship
of the Holy Ghost with him he would not have received the revelation that
guided him to the temple on
that day.
Then we learn of Anna, who was a prophetess. There is not
too much information on Anna, there are only three verses. She was the daughter
of Phanel, of the tribe of Aser, she was an older woman who’s husband had died.
She spent all her days and nights at the temple. It says in verse 37 “And
she was a widow about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the
temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” So she loved
and served the Lord all her days and nights. The next verse says “And she
coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to
all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”
I think the prophetess Anna teaches us the importance of
serving the Lord and attending the temple as often as our circumstances and
health allow us to do so. I love going to the temple and I haven’t been able to
go for about a year and I miss it very much. We may not learn much about the prophetess
Anna, but she teaches us the importance of serving the Lord and attending the temple
and being worthy to receive the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and
also worthy of holding a temple recommend—even if we cannot go very often.
After all these things were done Mary and Joseph took
Jesus and went back to Nazareth where they were living. And in verse 40 it
says: “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with
wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.” “His parents went to Jerusalem each
year at the feast of the Passover. And when Jesus was twelve years old, they
went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled
the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem, and
Joseph and his mother knew nit of it.” Can you imagine having your twelve-year-old
son come up missing?
I remember a time when we lived in California, close to Oakland,
we lived close to a shopping mall. I had gone there to buy pajamas for my
girls. I had them in a two -seater stroller with my older daughter in the back.
The younger one was harnessed into the stroller, but the older one was not. I was
by myself with the girls and there was a sale going on so there were lots of
people there. While I was searching through the pajamas to find the right size,
my oldest daughter climbed out of the back of the stroller and wandered away –
she was just barely two years old when this happened. I was unaware that she
had gone, when I turned around with the pajamas, I had found for her and held
them up to her I found her gone. I was scared to death. Just last week in this
very same store someone had kidnapped a little girl by taking her into the men’s
room and cutting her hair and putting boys clothing on her and they walked
right out of the store. So, you can imagine the thoughts that were cursing
through my brain.
As I was wondering all around the store with my little
one still in the stroller looking everywhere as quickly as I could, asking
every person I saw if they had seen my little girl. As I described her to them
the tears were streaming down my face uncontrollably. I must have looked a
mess, but I didn’t even think about it at the time. I just wanted to find my
little girl as I was sure that she must be wondering where her mommy was and
why she didn’t come to find her. I felt horrible and I was so scared that I might
never see her again! Then a little old lady came up to me and said, “I think I have
something that you need.” I was trying to be nice to her and let her speak—I just
couldn’t figure out how this strange woman would know what I needed. She said,
come here Dearie.” I went over to where she was standing, she turned and beckoned
me to come. I followed her down the aisle, and around to another aisle and then
she just stopped in front of me.
At that point I was sure I had just followed a crazy lady
and I needed to begin again searching for my lost little girl. The next thing
she did was to carefully life up a fancy table covering from a small table that
has very, very expensive chocolate on it. As she lifted up the table covering,
my heart surely skipped a beat of gratitude for there was my little girl safe
and sound and a face full of that very, very expensive chocolate. The little
old lady said to me, “Sweetie, you had better take her now before that make you
pay for the chocolate, it’s awful expensive. All I could think of was how quickly
I wanted to get my girls home and close the door and never let them out of my
sight again!
So, I scooped my little girl up and held her so close for
a few minutes basking in the fact that I had my girls and they were both safe with
me, when the little old lady told me again that I should leave the store before
they made me pay for the chocolate. So, I took my girls and went home. The next
time I went out after my husband was there to watch the girls, I purchased
another harness so that both of my girls would be safe and secure in the stroller
whenever we went out again! My little girl was quite a bit younger than Jesus was
at the time he was missing, but I think I may know some of what they felt with
Jesus gone.
As Mary and Joseph were traveling back to their home,
they were thinking that he was traveling within their group somewhere. There
must have been a lot of their family members traveling together up to Jerusalem
for his parents not to have realized that he wasn’t there among them for a
whole day’s travel. Then searching throughout all of their family that was
traveling with them and they couldn’t find him there. So, they retraced their
steps back to Jerusalem and found their son “after three days of him
missing, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both
hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished
at his understanding and answers.”
So, let’s see, they traveled one day before they noticed
him missing – I can’t even imagine not knowing were my children are for a whole
day – and they searched amongst their family members, then they had to travel
back to Jerusalem to hunt for him. And after
three days “when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said
unto him, Son, why hast thou thus deal with us? Behold thy father and I have sought
thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist (knew)
ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he
spake unto them. And he went down with
them, and came to Nazzareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all
these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in
favour with God and man.”
Even as a youth Jesus was about His Father’s business,
which should be an example to us all. yes, especially for the youth – age twelve
and up – they can learn of Him and serve Him faithfully in their early years
and continue with what their parents have been teaching them. They can grow
their own testimony. If they have not been taught as yet, it’s a good time to
begin. And then there are the rest of us, no matter what our age --- if we haven’t
been taught the gospel of Jesus Christ – its never too late! We can begin right
now! We can each learn of Him, have faith in Him, believe in Him, and trust in
Him. We can learn about the plan f salvation. We can learn that Jesus Christ is
our Savior, and that He gave His life for each of us. He died to pay for our
sins and transgressions so that we can one day return to live with Him and our
Heavenly Father.
We can learn about our Heavenly Father and know that He
loves each one of us, no matter what! We can talk to Him in prayer anytime, anywhere,
in good times as well as during the rough patches in our lives. He is always
only a prayer away. We can learn about the third member of the Godhead, even
the Holy Ghost, who can become our daily companion as we walk through this
testing and preparation ground called Life. We can learn about having faith the
size of a mustard seed, or even just having a desire to believe these things. We
can learn the doctrine of repentance and how that can change our daily lives
and know that we can be forgiven of our sins and transgressions through this repentance
process. We can learn about baptism, and how this is a necessary step that puts
us on the path that will lead us home to our Heavenly Father and His Only
Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
And this ends Luke chapter two. I was thinking about how
Joseph must have trusted Heavenly Father and often sought for personal revelation
as a parent. If you remember, he was warned to take his family and leave as Herod
wanted to kill baby Jesus. The Holy Ghost also told Joseph when it was safe to
return to his country after Herod has died. You know there are so many physical
and spiritual dangers out there in this world that our children, grandchildren
and great grandchildren are facing today. I don’t think I have ever been very
good at hearing that still small voice of the Holy Ghost, but I jeep trying. I know
that the Holy Ghost has been there for me on many occasions when I have been
traveling alone with my children and has warned me by prompting me to do
something that has helped me, or kept us safe on our journey.
I remember a time when I was traveling with my children
back home to Colorado from Utah, where we had just been visiting their dad. It was
snowing and the roads were very icy, I hit a patch of ice and we spun out into
the middle of the road. I was praying to know what to do because we were on a
blind turn and the semi-trucks traveled that road – a lot! I was promoted to
turn my wheels back towards the way we had been traveling from and step on the
gas – quickly! I followed that thought and we spun back around to our side of
the road and stopped on the side of the road just after the car stopped a semi-truck
rounded the curve. Had I not acted on that thought immediately, we -- I might
not be here to tell the story. We are all able to receive those promptings, we
only need to find out how the Holy Ghost speaks to us – He has prompted me through
my feelings, through my thoughts, and through dreams. My problem is often
second guessing if that was my thought or are those feelings just silly…etc. I have
gotten a little better I think at listening for and hearing the Holy Ghost when
He speaks to me, but I think I still need to work on it. As a parent we are
able to receive personal revelation for our families.
The Wisemen also received revelation after they had seen the
babe in the manger. They were told not to go back to tell Herod that they had
found the child but that they should go home another route. The Wisemen came
from the east bearing gifts for the King of the Jews. They had been learning
about Him and watching for Him to come for years I suspect. In Matthew 2 verse
2 it says “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen
his star in the east and have come to worship him” When King Herod heard this
he was concerned – worried that this King of the Jews might take away his
kingdom if the child was allowed to live. Herod called the wise men and “inquired
of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem
and said, Go and search diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may
come and worship him. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the
star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over
where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding
great joy.”
“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young
child with Maty his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they
had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and
frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not
return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.” “And when
they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream,
saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and glee into Egypt,
and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child
to destroy him. When he arose and took
the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt.” And
you know the rest of the story, right? There are a few prophecies being fulfilled
in this chapter --- did you notice them? There are also some patterns for us to
follow - - can you find them?
So how are you seeking Christ? What have you learned from
the people in these verses that can help you to not only seek Christ, but to
worship Him, to testify of Him as the Shepherds did, to wait patiently for His
Coming as Simeon did, or as Anna served the Lord while she awaited His coming;
and the Wisemen who had been studying about His coming long before it has ever happened.
They were all searching for Him before He uttered the words {Come. Follow Me}.
Luke 2 :52 teach us : “And Jesus increased in
wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man,” What can we learn
from this verse? That Jesus increased in
wisdom – (intellectually) he studied hard, in wisdom and stature – (he grew physically.)
In favor with God, (spiritually). And favor with others---(Socially), so think
about it, how can you and I increase in these four areas?
Intellectually – I think if we kept up with studying of
our scriptures every day, saying our prayers each day and keeping a prayer in
our hearts all the day through, if we have family home evenings, family prayers
and scripture reading, keep the commandments and all of our covenants we have
made with the Lord, and if we learn out of the best books and seek learning
even by study and by faith, this will help us increase in wisdom.
Physically – if we are eating healthy and exercising
regularly, have regular check ups with our doctor, and have our yearly tests done
(flu shots, Mammogram, pap-test, for women and if there are other tests for men,
etc.) serve others and work hard, this will help us increase in stature.
Spiritually – just as we do to gain intellectually we
need to be sure to study our scriptures and say our prayers daily, keep a
prayer in our hearts continuously throughout each day, serve others, keep the
commandments and all of our covenants that we have made with our Heavenly
Father, have faith, repent daily, trust in the Lord, Learn about Jesus Christ
and follow His teachings, listen to our living prophet and follow his counsel,
and again seek learning even by study and by faith, and be worthy of and hold a temple recommend. If
we do all these things it will help us increase spiritually.
My dear family and friends, I think that I have rambled
enough for this post and as always I hope and pray that I have said something
that may be of help to one of you out there and remember you can chat with
missionaries on line, you can receive a free Bible or Book of Mormon if you want
or need one here: https://www.mormon.org/free-book-of-mormon you can find one of our local meeting houses
here:
https://www.lds.org/maps/meetinghouses/@37.692000,-97.337000,10
or here: https://www.mormon.org/meetinghouse
and you can check out the videos that go along with these lessons here: you can download a copy of the lesson manual of
Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families here: https://www.lds.org/study/manual/come-follow-me-for-individuals-and-families-new-testament-2019/03?lang=eng
https://www.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/PDF/PD60003497/PD60003497_000_CFM_IF_Web.pdf
Until my next post, don't forget -- for the week of January 21-27 to read John chapter one everyone, please make it a wonderful
week😊
