President
Ezra Taft Benson said, “The Lord works form the inside out. The world
works from the outside in…The world would mold men by changing their
environment. Christ changed men, who then change their environment.
The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human
nature.”
I
love Alma 5:14, 19 “Have ye been born of
God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this
mighty change in your hearts? …. I say unto you can you look up, having
the image of God engraven in your countenances?
I
have had this mighty change of heart and want his image engraven deep in my
soul and countenance, in hopes that all who know me will be able to see. I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to
pay my debt, he kept those wounds to show all mankind when he returns again. We are forever embedded in the palms of his
hands. A resurrected Christ who could have been made whole, yet kept the
wounds in his hands, wounds caused by me, I are forever embedded in the palms
of his hands. The least I can do is have his image engraven in my
countenance.
I
Nephi 21:19 …”I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are
continually before me.”
I
am grateful for the Atonement. I know my Savior suffered for me, my sins,
and felt everything I feel. When I am discouraged, he already felt that,
when I’m lonely, sad, hurting, he felt all those as well. I love the
verses in Alma 7:11-13
11.
“And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of
every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take
upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which
bind his people; and he will take upon their infirmities, that his bowels may
be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the
flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
13.
Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth
accoding to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that
he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his
deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.”
These
verse teach me my loving Savior fulfilled this horrible pain and experience to
save me. He loosed the bands of death, and because of his mercy he will allow
me to use this great gift, the Atonement, to be cleansed from my sins and be
made clean. I am thankful for this gift, that we may use his cleansing power to
be made whole. I am nothing without the atonement but gain everything if
I choose to use it; for that I am grateful. I want to be better and
through continual repentance hope to be washed clean as often as I fall short
of living the way I know I ought to be.
Let the Atonement bless
your life.
