We will serve the Lord

Heather was wondering about how I can work in the name of God. I have often pondered this over the years, and am just beginning to understand. I have always thought wrong about life, and I need to change. Adam was told how to make these changes. I consider myself to be Adam in the following:

"And Adam and Eve, his wife, called upon the name of the Lord, and they heard the voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden of Eden, speaking unto them, and they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence. And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.

"And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me. And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth. Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore." (Moses 5:4-8)

I have wondered about this idea of doing everything in the name of Jesus Christ. The Prophets speak of this, but I don't understand. I have always segregated my life into compartments that are convenient, depending on the hat I'm wearing. I have a career in which I earn money to support myself and my family. I have a family life where I spend time with my wife and children, doing all of the "family things." And then I have the "church stuff" where I serve the Lord. The last, and maybe the second are done in the name of the Lord, but certainly not the first. I wonder about quitting my job, my work and just going on a mission, doing more at church, visiting members, or helping others to come to God. Surely these would be things I could do in His name.

However, I am now beginning to see that I can do everything in His name, if I am doing His will. As I go through life, I can celebrate every day the bounties I have been given to learn and to grow. I can rejoice in:

My body

Food that is provided

Work

Children

Neighbors

The Gospel

Money

Travel

Opportunities for learning and growth

Those who share with me

Love

School or classes

Touch

Business

Pain and suffering (Yes! Even problems are blessings!)

Christ is the life of the world. All that is life, meaning growth, is of Him. Only He can give us life. "He comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever." (D&C 88:41) To rejoice in all things, is to rejoice in Him. To celebrate life is to celebrate Him. To do whatever I do for life, for growth, for knowledge and wisdom is to do it for Him. If I do it for Him, no matter what it is, then I do everything in His name. I can do everything for Him, because He makes it possible, because He gave His all so I could grow, because I love Him. It's not just in church that we can serve Him, but rather in all things.

Fighting against God

If I reject a gift from God, I reject Him. If I am doing my will, then I am doing it in my own name. There are many gifts of God that I have rejected and denied. He has taught me true principles of health, but I choose not to take good care of my body. I know that exercise is very important, but I get too busy and don't feel like doing it. I'm lazy. Also, in spite of all I know about food, I choose to eat poisons because they taste good. I am tearing down my body with chemical ingredients, sugar, preservatives, pesticides, and flavorings. I like them. They taste good! So, I rebel against the knowledge I have and choose to eat unhealthy things for taste.

I am divorced from my first wife because I rebelled against the commandment I was given to love her. Instead, I was seeking my own. I wanted what I wanted, and I wasn't getting what I wanted. By insisting on my own way I ended up without her.

Another good example of rebellion is my business. The Lord gave me work to do. I have a profession, I like being a doctor. I would like to just sit and counsel others on their health. I can do that. It's easy. I'm good at telling them what to do. They can take my advice, or not, just as long as they pay me for it. It is good advice so they are not paying for nothing. However, the Lord wants me to learn to run a business. He has given me a practice to teach me how to be a leader, but I have had so many problems that I keep wanting to quit. "I'm just going to go and work for someone else, I'll make more money and have fewer headaches." I say. Anyone who has had more than one employee may know what I mean. This is the "natural man." By rejecting what the Lord gave me, I have rejected Him.

Repentance

However, if I take what the Lord has given me, and run with it, learning how to do all the things of a business, I can see how much I can grow and learn. Life is growth. Life is learning. Life is NOT about rest and retirement, and doing the easy thing, but rather continual improvement. I am being lazy and seeking the "easy way" instead of looking to learn. If I change that and instead seek growth, life, and love, then I am "doing all that I do in the name of the Son." This is repentance. I am changing from doing what I want to doing His will. I am loving Him by keeping His commandments. I am filling the measure of my creation. The business God gave to me teaches me these things.

I can keep my body healthy by doing His will, keeping His commandments. In section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants, The Word of Wisdom includes, "All wholesome herbs," and "eat meat sparingly." Another commandment is to "retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated." (D&C 88:124) Also, I know that exercise will improve my body in many ways. By choosing good, wholesome food, and sleep and exercise, I am serving Him.

 

If I choose to love my wife, instead of seeking my own fulfillment then I also serve Him. To love her is to be happy with her, to appreciate her, to find her strengths, and to help her grow, even if it means giving up what I want. Love is in the sacrifice.

The everyday acts of life are where growth happens. It isn't in the big things, the mission trip to Africa, being a bishop, or a large donation to charity. Rather it is in the daily decisions to celebrate life by learning and growing. Life is lived by overcoming laziness and acting on the knowledge we have. This is how we repent of all our sins and iniquities.

Becoming perfect

Understanding that all things which bring growth lead us to Him makes perfection a possibility. When I get up in the morning, I do it for Him. When I exercise to build my body, I do it for Him. When I choose good food, I do it for Him. When I choose to learn the piano, I do it for Him. When I learn how to run a business, I do it for Him. When I read good books I do it for Him. When I budget my money I do it for Him. I do everything for my own growth for Him. Some of these things I really enjoy, but others I don't really want to do. In both cases, everything that leads me to being complete and whole, leads me to Him.

Moreover, when I do things to help others grow, to give instruction and encouragement, in every area of life I am doing His will. When I help Charly with her homework, I do it for Him. When I go to work, I do it for Him. When I counsel a patient, I do it for Him. When I serve in the Church, I do it for Him. When I help another to know the Gospel, I do it for Him. I share with others to teach them to grow, or support their growth -- for him. It's not just preaching the Gospel as taught in church, but rather every form of growth that brings life, that celebrates life. "Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together." (D&C 50:22) "Preaching" is broad enough to include all science, religion, politics, relationships, music, math, art, and philosophy -- all truth. All things that improve and increase life bring us to God. The injunction by Jesus is to "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) The original word translated as "perfect" means "complete" or "whole," like a "perfect circle" means a full, or complete, circle.

 

As I learn true principles, and choose to live them, to incorporate them into my life, I am repenting. It's really simple. In order for me to do all I do in the name of the Son, I would need to do it in submission to the will of God. All that I do to take care of myself and others gives me potential for growth and development, and helps me to celebrate life. All that I do to learn and grow helps me come closer to Him. All that I am given is a blessing over which I can rejoice and be glad, even if it is something I didn't want, such as pain, loss, or other suffering. All that I suffer I can choose to accept with all my heart as a gift for my own growth, just as I can accept a new car.

Everything I can do with all my heart, I must do fully. I need to celebrate all things, even if I don't like doing them so that I can grow. Rejoicing in life is growing. If I reject these opportunities, then I reject the Lord, and I am doing my own will. God gave me all that I have, and I need to be diligent in seeking His will for me in each of them so that everything I do is His will. I want to live. I want to grow. I want to love. I want to connect with God through His only begotten Son. So, I will "repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore." Thus, I will learn to do everything in His name. So, I can say, as Joshua, "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)