Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. (D&C 4:2)
This verse touched me as I had been preparing for my calling as primary music leader. For some reason I’ve been getting overwhelmed lately by different life demands, and I’ve been more inclined to retreat and wish things away rather than face them. When I ran across this verse, it reminded me that I can do my best.
This verse has a neat promise it it—that of standing blameless at the last day on condition of putting our heart, might, mind, and strength into our service.
- Heart—courage to carry on, feeling
- Might—physical strength
- Mind—knowledge and intellectual ability
- Strength—physical and mental capability; energy or intensity
I don’t know if it is necessarily that we are to attack our service as if it were a weight-lifting competition,
grunting and groaning all the way. Rather, it seems as if the Lord means us to become immersed in the great range of experiences that go with giving service. He wants us to feel everything that goes with it, to think everything through, to study it all out, to experience both the success that elates, and the disappointment that requires courage and heart to carry on, and use all our resources and faculties.. and discover new ones. (If that sounds like living a life of service to the fullest, it is probably because it is.) I think He wants us to put all of that into our service because any of it may be the deciding factor that helps someone else come to repentance. If we hold anything back, that may have been the one thing that would have worked. But if we have used all our heart, might, mind, and strength, then we will be blameless because we have done all we could do. (And doing all we can do qualifies us for the grace of God. He will make us what He wants us to be.)
One additional note: The section summary has an interesting perspective on this verse. It says, “valiant service saves the Lord’s ministers.” Here’s my question to you—is “standing blameless” the same as being saved? Discuss. Why or why not?
Image: http://maxmeadfitness.com/tag/weightlifting/
1 comments:
I believe that the term "standing blameless" is a presentation, or an acceptable sacrifice. To become blameless on our part is not so much physical as a spiritual process. To embark in the service of the Lord is to present ourselves as "living sacrifices". The term saved is so broad, but I am impressed to believe that the term saved is to be rescued. The Atonement of the Savior, was a rescue mission for all men, so we would not die because of Adam's sin. So to be saved is to be rescued.
But as all men are saved from the consequences of Adam's fall, many are called but few are chosen....
I believe that we are "chosen" when we choose to "embark" in the service of our God. The goal is to stand on the right side of the Savior so we can be presented "blameless" to our Heavenly Father.
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