In D&C 132:12, the Lord tells us that "everything...that is not by me or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down." Just think. We work on things that we think are important, that we want to last, whether it be a house decoration to bring beauty, joy and peace to the home, a job that makes a difference in providing for our family or "makes a mark," or say things that we think are important and want people to listen to...not to mention the millions of other things we do that we tell ourselves are meaningful.
Just think...if we are doing it on our own, and not in His name, it won't last...it won't make a difference in the long run.
How awesome it is that we can seek to know His will concerning us, even in the seemingly little things of our day, and know that it matters...from exercise, to service, to the way we look at people around us. We can make a difference and be working with Him in His glory.
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The end of the Doctrine and Covenants seems full of promises of things that truly last, and I thought about why that might be. Joseph Smith and the saints have been surrounded by the unpredictable, the terrible, the worldly as they are driven about, persecuted, starved, and uprooted time and again before the exodus to Salt Lake. How reassuring it must be to Joseph Smith, a man who has seen his children die, his friends betray him, the things he sets up (banks, temples, etc.) seemingly either come to naught or left behind to find out that, having lived his life in accordance with the will of God, he matters. What he does will last.
It particularly struck me the words of the Lord concerning marriage in the covenant of the Lord in section 131: "And in order to obtain the highest (degree of glory in the celestial kingdom), a man must enter into this...covenant of marriage; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it."
That's it. No equivocation. There is no other way.
It made me think, first, about how everyone will have that chance. He would never say that unless everyone would have the opportunity to enter into a meaningful covenant with someone, whether in this life or the next. Of course, if someone chooses not to, essentially turning away from His gift out of choice, that is their choice, and He will not force them.
However, it made me further think, why marriage? Why not baptism or something else? Then it struck me, it is through the bonds of marriage that we are able to enter in that wonder of creation with the Creator--bringing souls into existence. That is God's work and glory...it's what He does! Day in and day out (figuratively speaking in His timeless sense), He is involved only in this: to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of souls! To be properly sealed gives us the legitimacy to procreate, participating in a god's work and glory!
How do we regard this supernal gift? How is it portrayed in society...on the screens? He has given all His children the opportunity to show how they treat this final step, this essential characteristic of godhood, in this life,... and how do we treat it?
Worlds without number, children without end...
[Fortunately, I don't think I will need sleep at that point, so that will be nice :).]
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