This morning I was sitting in the backyard reading my scriptures. It was so peaceful in contrast to the present situation we all find ourselves in. Then right at that moment, I looked up and saw what looked like a white dove fly across the yard. It gave me such an overwhelming feeling of peace, a reminder that the Savior is always with us. I was so grateful I had looked up at that moment because I could feel and see that the Lord's spirit was around me. It reminded me of a story in the Bible where the Lord asked specifically for His children, the Israelites, to “look up”. They were sick in the wilderness when the Lord commanded Moses to put a serpent on his staff, then ask the Israelites to “look up”. That’s all they had to do to be healed... just look upon the serpent and the staff. When they trusted and did just that, they lived, because it was a symbol of Christ. The serpent and staff represented Christ on the cross, you see that symbol today associated with the medical world. It seemed like such a simple thing and yet, some of the Israelites didn’t believe because it just seemed too easy. But it was and it is! It’s that easy even today ♥️ Metaphorically speaking, looking up to our Lord is something we can do each day. We can “look up” to the Lord through the scriptures and read of Him. We can “look up” to God in prayer and listen for His answers. We can “look up” to the Lord through service and be His hands to help others. The moment I looked up, I had a great feeling of peace and hope, and it was so easy! If we choose to look up, life can be a constant reminder of what is good all around us. In John 16:33 the Savior says, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
The Savior is clear that we will have tribulation, we can expect it. But then He doesn’t ask us to be happy, He tells us to be happy. “BE of good cheer!” He says it as though it’s not even an option, so I know it is possible! And then He further gives us hope in Matthew 19:26 when He is teaching His disciples an important doctrine they don’t quite understand: “But when Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”
With our Savior it is possible to feel His love, His peace and His hope in this unsettled time if we just look up to Him. I don’t think there is a greater scripture right now than this one... “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” ~John 14:27
It wasn’t a coincidence that I looked up to see that dove... I believe it was a gift of remembrance of our Savior’s peace - a gift He gives to everyone freely and easily.
#SundayMessage