Saturday, January 24, 2015

Affections of thy Heart

Affections of thy Heart
In Alma 37:36 it states, " Yea, and cry unto God for all they support; yea let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and wither-so-ever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever."
 
I believe that an easy way to know where the affections lie, is by paying attention to what we talk about and what we spend our spare time on for enjoyment? Years ago I was a runner. I was highly involved with a team and coach that I was required to race with every Sat. during racing seasons. It was very clear at this time in my life where my affections were. Even during the time that I was not running, I was either talking about running or reading about racers or running literature. Now, as my love for the Lord has grown by leaps and bounds since that time in my life; I now find myself spending any free moment that I have to research, study or find His words that speak to me in the scriptures. As I used to prepare for races with workouts and look forward to them; I now try to prepare daily to be the best servant that I can be for Him; and I look forward for the times during the month that I will attend the temple. 
 
I am somewhat hesitant to express the changes that I  have made in regards to the affections of my heart, because I do not wish to share these things in order to glory in myself for my improvements. I only desire to share the witness that I have. The witness that when we  make the Lord our number one priority; to serve Him daily through our behaviors and interactions with those around us; and through our diligence in the things that He has asked us to do; We are blessed with an inexpressible joy that comes from a feeling of pleasing Him. You can receive a joy that comes from the feeling of what it is to be like His partner and friend. It is such a incomparable place of happiness. A  happiness that will not come from any other love that you could choose. I am thankful to share what I have experienced by making the changes that I needed to make in my life; in order to give Him my whole heart. My prayer and daily hope is that I can continue to love Him more fully than I did the day before; and that my brothers and sisters in His church with me will too desire to MAKE HIM FIRST in their hearts.
 
Lastly, I would like to share a quote written by a prophet of God regarding these things:
 
"Men captained by Christ will be consumed in Christ. To paraphrase President Harold B. Lee, they set fire in others because they are on fire. (See Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye in Holy Places, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974, p. 192.)
Their will is swallowed up in his will. (See John 5:30.) They do always those things that please the Lord. (See John 8:29.) Not only would they die for the Lord, but, more important, they want to live for Him."
Enter their homes, and the pictures on their walls, the books on their shelves, the music in the air, their words and acts reveal them as Christians. They stand as witnesses of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places. (See Mosiah 18:9.) They have Christ on their minds, as they look unto Him in every thought. (See D&C 6:36.) They have Christ in their hearts as their affections are placed on Him forever. (See Alma 37:36.)
 Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, July 1989
I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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