"We Love Thy Law; We Will Obey..."
Love and law are two topics that fascinate me, especially when they are discussed together. This must explain why I love the line from the third verse of "Our Savior's Love" so much. "We love Thy law; we will obey." This hymn testifies of the perfect love that our Savior has for each one of us. But there is also a focus on law, obedience to law, and a love for law that is woven throughout this song. An unconditional love that has no bounds or restrictions existing right along with eternal law that has the most definite of boundaries? Isn't it just so fascinating?!
We know that the Savior loves each of us. no. matter. what. He shows us kindness, mercy, patience, compassion, and selflessness in spite of all of our imperfections. He is "no respecter of persons." He loves us each the same. He doesn't pick favorites. We know this is true, so what does it mean, then, when we read in the scriptures that Nephi, the brother of Jared, Mary, and "he who is righteous" is favored of God? (1st Nephi 1:1, Ether 1:34, Luke, 1:28, 1st Nephi 17:35)
This is where that law that I love part comes in. "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated- And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (D&C 130) As we choose to be righteous, the consequences will follow. This isn't God choosing favorites. This is us choosing Him, and "he who is righteous is favored of God." There are certain blessings (or "favors") which will not and cannot be withheld from us when we choose to obey law. Just as there are certain blessings that cannot be bestowed upon us if we choose not to obey. So simply beautiful. Yet still, so often, we allow Satan to deceive us into thinking there is some sort of loophole, that we are the one exception to eternal rule. Words like "entitlement" or "fair" seem to creep into the definition of what it should mean to love and be loved unconditionally. Any tool Satan can employ to take the focus away from our power to make choices for ourselves, you better believe he is going to use. Even when it comes to understanding matters of love. Especially when it comes to understanding matters of love.
We know that the Savior loves each of us. no. matter. what. He shows us kindness, mercy, patience, compassion, and selflessness in spite of all of our imperfections. He is "no respecter of persons." He loves us each the same. He doesn't pick favorites. We know this is true, so what does it mean, then, when we read in the scriptures that Nephi, the brother of Jared, Mary, and "he who is righteous" is favored of God? (1st Nephi 1:1, Ether 1:34, Luke, 1:28, 1st Nephi 17:35)
This is where that law that I love part comes in. "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated- And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (D&C 130) As we choose to be righteous, the consequences will follow. This isn't God choosing favorites. This is us choosing Him, and "he who is righteous is favored of God." There are certain blessings (or "favors") which will not and cannot be withheld from us when we choose to obey law. Just as there are certain blessings that cannot be bestowed upon us if we choose not to obey. So simply beautiful. Yet still, so often, we allow Satan to deceive us into thinking there is some sort of loophole, that we are the one exception to eternal rule. Words like "entitlement" or "fair" seem to creep into the definition of what it should mean to love and be loved unconditionally. Any tool Satan can employ to take the focus away from our power to make choices for ourselves, you better believe he is going to use. Even when it comes to understanding matters of love. Especially when it comes to understanding matters of love.
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