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Isaiah 55:1 – Isaiah 61:1

When I was very young, my family would visit Cascade Springs, located at the top of American Fork Canyon.  I remember how my uncle helped us find the source of the spring water.  We walked along small rivers and past waterfalls until we reached the higher ground where we found the wellspring ––a place where the water flowed out of seemingly impermeable rock before it began cascading down the moutnain.

The water never stopped; there was an overflowing fullness.  In fact, each day seven million gallons of water comes through that rock base to feed the springs below.

Every time I read section 58 of Isaiah, I think about Cascade Springs.

Let me show you why.

There are great promises given to those who live the true law of the fast.  They are carefully explained within this chapter.  First, I love the four reasons for fasting defined within these verses…to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke.

We are also reminded of the importance of fast offerings in relation to the law of the fast…to deal thy bread to the hungry, to remember the poor, and the naked, and those within our circle of influence who are struggling.

And then the blessings…

Your light will break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily

Thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. (I love that word… take a moment to read the footnote.)

When you call, the Lord shall answer…

When you cry, the Lord shall say, Here I am

Thy light will rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday…(answers in the darkest moments…light…)

And then my very favorite verse…the verse that reminds me so much of Cascade Springs…

“And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones:  and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”  (Isaiah 58:11)

The footnotes for that verse speak of Divine Guidance, strength, and an abundant life.

The blessings that come from living the true law of the fast.

I love the thought of the Lord guiding us continually.

But I especially love the image of the spring of water, whose waters fail not.

Just like Cascade Springs…an overflowing fullness.  Abundance.

Every time I read this chapter I pause for just a moment to consider the importance of keeping the true law of the fast ––the reasons, the blessings, the promises.

This upcoming fast Sunday I am going to remember this counsel from Isaiah.  I am going to focus a little more on the reasons, I am going to open my heart to recognize the blessings, and perhaps I will be led to remember the Wellspring from whence those blessings flow.

Isaiah 49:7 – Isaiah 55:1

Many years ago I had an experience I will never forget.  I was serving as a visiting teacher.  My assignment was to a woman who was struggling with a trial that had the potential to destroy her life.  I had visit taught this woman for four years.  She was one of my dearest friends.

On this particular night things were not going well.  At 9:30 that evening we ended up at the Bishop’s office over at the Church.  We counseled together with the Bishop for a time, and then, in an attempt to try to find some solutions we called a private counselor this woman had been working with to see if he could help us.  He happened to be driving home from a party with his wife and agreed to come to the church.

He left his wife in the car with a book and spent an hour and a half counseling with this woman, the Bishop and I.  At eleven o’clock that evening we finally came up with a solution.  The course we settled upon would include changes that had the potential to affect the rest of her life for good.

It would require courage.

It would require strength.

It would require great sacrifice.

She had chosen to make the decision that we had all been praying about for weeks.  I was so proud of her, and I found myself humbled by the magnitude of the journey that lay ahead of her, and grateful for the encouragement of a good Bishop and a kind counselor who had helped her reach that decision.  As we prepared to go home, my friend walked over to the counselor, took him by the hand and said, “Thank you for coming.”

I thought of the sacrifice he had made to be there that night.  It wasn’t regular office hours.  His wife had been sitting in the car in a dark parking lot in the middle of winter for an hour and a half.  He had dropped everything to come.  In the quiet recess of my heart I echoed her gratitude, Yes, thank you for coming.

I will never forget his reply.

Most people would have said, “You’re welcome.”

But that wasn’t his response.

My friend said, “Thank you for coming,” and the counselor replied, “You’re worth it.”

He taught a powerful sermon in three simple words.

He knew the potential she had.  In his eyes, she was worth the sacrifice.

As I drove home from that experience I thought to myself, I wonder if I know someone who would sacrifice like that for me if I were in a time of need ––someone who would come to help me under any circumstance because I was worth it, because he saw the potential within me…

Immediately my mind was filled with one of my favorite paintings of the Savior.  He is dressed in white, His arms are outstretched, and as clear as if the painting was right in front of me I could see the prints of the nails in His hands.

Instantly I remembered the scripture found in Isaiah 49:16,

“I will not forget thee.

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.”

He will not forget us because we are worth it to Him.

Perhaps as we learn to recognize Him in the daily course of our lives we will find our hearts overflowing with gratitude and in moments of quiet prayer we will say, just as my friend did, “Thank you for coming.”

I can already hear His gentle reply,

“You’re worth it.”

 

 

Isaiah 44:1 – Isaiah 49:6

I have a son who is serving a mission in Croatia.

On Sunday he told us about something their whole mission is doing, and the idea was such a good one I decided we should do it in our home too.

The Area Authority who serves over Caleb’s mission recently came to a mission conference.  He told the story of Nephi building the boat, found in 1 Nephi 17.  You remember the story…Laman and Lemuel told Nephi he couldn’t accomplish such a great work.  What did Nephi do?  He immediately began recounting the stories of the Bible…the Red Sea being divided, the manna in the wilderness, the water springing forth from the rock, the light by night, and the guidance through the day.  He gave his brothers evidences of all the great things the Lord had done for the children of Israel.

…the recorded evidences of the hand of the Lord in the lives of His people.

The Area Authority explained to the missionaries that in essence the Scriptures are really a Book of Evidences ––a record kept by the children of the Lord of the moments when they witnessed His hand in their lives.  Then he asked the missionaries to purchase a notebook and to start keeping their own Book of Evidences.

A record of the moments when they recognized the hand of the Lord in their lives.

A journal they could turn to and look back on in moments of doubt, to remind them that the Lord can help them accomplish great things.

The idea is simple, but profound.

Yesterday I went out and purchased an inexpensive journal for each of my children.  I had the store imprint “Book of Evidences” on the cover.  I challenged my family to start keeping a record of our dealings with the Lord… a record of prayers answered, moments when the Spirit is felt, experiences shared with others that build testimony.

The times in our lives when we witness the hand of the Lord.

Perhaps we will learn to recognize moments such as those spoken of in the Book of Isaiah…

“I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.”  (Isaiah 44:3)

“Remember…I have formed thee; …thou shalt not be forgotten of me.”  (Isaiah 44:21)

“I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight…”  (Isaiah 45:2)

“I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways…”  (Isaiah 45:13)

“I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”  (Isaiah 46:11)

“Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.”  (Isaiah 47:10)

“My God shall be my strength.”  (Isaiah 49:5)

As we write down these moments, these experiences, these memories, our faith in the Lord will be strengthened.  Perhaps page after page will become filled with our testimony, just as the pages of Isaiah are filled with his…

“I am the Lord, and there is none else…”  (Isaiah 45:5)

“I am the Lord, and there is none else…”  (Isaiah 45:6)

“I am the Lord; and there is none else…”  (Isaiah45:18)

“Remember the former things of old:

for I am God, and there is none else;

I am God, and there is none like me…”

(Isaiah 46:9)

Isaiah 38:16 – Isaiah 44:1

Sometimes you just need to know the Lord is near.

Because sometimes the journey seems long.

And although the scenery is breathtaking, and the companions pleasant, there are moments when you might wonder if you can take another step.

Perhaps it is the heavy load you shoulder.  Maybe it is the fear of what is around the next corner.  It could be that you’re not quite ready for the detour, or the change of course, or the incline that lies ahead.

Do you know those moments?

In those moments I find myself reaching out for the One whose companionship becomes a lifeline.  Just knowing He is there helps me to put one foot in front of the other.

My most favorite scripture is a reminder of the truth that He is with us through every journey, through every wilderness place, through every mountain moment.  He is there through the detours, and the changes of course, and the moments that cause us to climb vertically.

It is a scripture I have carried in my heart through the worst days.

It has gotten me through the longest nights.

It has brought peace through the times of heartache.

 

 

“But now thus saith the Lord that created thee…

fear not: for I have redeemed thee,

I have called thee by thy name;

thou art mine.

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;

and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:

when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned;

neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

For I am the Lord thy God,

the Holy One of Israel,

Thy Saviour:

Since thou wast precious in my sight…I have loved thee…

Fear not: for I am with thee…

(Isaiah 43:1-5)

 

Isaiah 32:15 – Isaiah 38:15

This weekend I accepted an invitation to walk from the Draper Temple to the Salt Lake Temple.

We left the Draper Temple at 7:00 AM.

We arrived at the Salt Lake Temple at 3:00PM.

We walked to honor a man named John Moyle.  You can read his story here.

22 miles in 8 hours.  A day that will be forever etched into my heart.  The walk began with a quote from J. Golden Kimball, “When I think about the temple, every stone in it is a sermon to me.  It tells of suffering, it tells of sacrifice, it preaches ––every rock in it, preaches a discourse.  Every window, every steeple, everything about the temple speaks of the things of God, and gives evidence of the faith of the people who built it.”  We thought about the stone that John Moyle carved, “Holiness to the Lord,” after walking 22 miles on an artificial leg at the age of 77.  That stone became the evidence of his faith.  Holiness to the Lord became his sermon.

We each asked ourselves, “What is my sermon?  For the next several miles we spoke of what our individual sermons were…  Love well, serve well… carpe diem… live with no regrets… enjoy every moment… talk of Christ… stand as a witness… kindness matters…

At mile 11 we stopped for a rest.

We spoke of Saints who built the temples long ago.  ”Come ye, with all your gold, and your silver, and your precious stones, and with all your antiquities; all that will come, may come…to build a house to my name, for the Most High to dwell therein.”  (D&C 124:27-28)

These were Saints who brought their gold, their silver, and their precious stones.  They brought their finest.

We considered what it means to bring our finest to the Lord.  We thought about our service in our callings, our responsibilities for watch care, our willingness to keep covenants and commandments, and we committed to be more like those Saints who have gone before, to bring our finest.

We stopped again at mile 17.

We were foot sore and weary.  We looked to each other for strength.  The conversation turned deeper, we spoke of what it meant to be holy.  From the Bible Dictionary we learned that things that were considered holy were set apart for a sacred purpose.  We began to realize that if we want our life to be holy, then it must be set apart, consecrated, for a sacred purpose.  We considered what that holy purpose might be.

Brigham Young counseled, “Every moment of my life must be holiness to the Lord.”

Every moment of my life must be set apart to the Lord.

Every moment of my life must be consecrated to the Lord.

Holiness comes from consecration…

Now, as we walked, we spoke of holiness.

Every one in the group had shown up that morning in exercise clothing. Every person except one.  He unexpectedly showed up in a kilt.  It was in the last 6 miles that I heard his story.  He made that kilt all by himself.  Ordered the fabric straight from Scotland.  The kilt would be worn only on special occasions.  He knew today was going to be special.  A day he wanted to always remember.  It qualified for wearing the kilt.  A day set apart, consecrated, holy.

“And an highway shall be there and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness…but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men…the redeemed shall walk there…and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”  (isaiah 35:8-10)

I spoke with a girl who moved here from Peru one week ago.  She heard about the walk on her first Sunday here, and she wanted to come.

In broken English she explained that this would be her very first time to see the temple.  She knew she would never forget it.  She worried her muscles were not strong enough for the challenge.  She spoke about the pain as she endured each step, eyes focused on the goal.

I won’t ever forget the girl who walked with her the last mile, arm in arm.  In that moment a new friendship was forged.

On mile 22 I walked behind two brothers.

One brother could barely lift his foot to take another step, it was so blistered.

But giving up was not an option.

The other brother matched his stride step for step.

Speaking softly words of confidence, hand on back to steady…to offer strength.

Ensuring he would reach the end.

“Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.  Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not…”  (Isaiah 35:3-4)

There is something remarkable that happens when you walk the way of holiness.

You learn things about people you never knew before.  You learn things about yourself you never knew before.  This way of holiness is not meant for everyone…only the wayfaring ones…the ones who travel by foot…walking in the footsteps of the Lord.

One who walks in holiness every moment.

On the morning of June 23 we will gather together for a celebration in which we too will walk in the footsteps of the Lord.

Our walk will celebrate the Deliverer of the Old Testament, and the Savior of the New.  We will remember His tender mercies contained in the Book of Mormon, and the call to action found in the Doctrine and Covenants.  As we walk, we will consider the importance of allowing the Living Water to continually flow through our lives.

Last week we began putting together the final plans for the walk.  Details set in place months ago are being molded and shifted.  Inspiration is guiding the process.  My heart is filling with anticipation.  Every day I have received RSVP’s.  Many of us will be walking here in Provo, Utah.  There is a Relief Society group that will walk with us on that same day in New Zealand.  Others will be walking in Nova Scotia, California, and Nevada.  If you would like to join us from where you are just send me an email…we will send you all of the instructions and supplies you need to do the walk from wherever you are.  Some have expressed a desire for a more manageable length of a walk.  This week we are considering several different trails.  They are between 7 and 10 miles in length.  We don’t want anyone to feel excluded from participating, so we will try to find a route that will allow as many to participate as possible.  Next Monday I will include the exact milage and update the training chart.

This is a walk that will be different then any you have taken before.  It will be filled with experiences.  Along the way we will focus on the things of God, we will share evidences of faith, we will speak of Christ, and we will celebrate the opportunity we have to come daily closer to Him through the scriptures.

It feels like something remarkable is about to happen.

Friendship will be forged.  Hearts will be strengthened.

As we walk together in the footsteps of the Lord.