Payment

We hear the phrase often: "The Atonement paid the price for us."

Now, if I understand correctly, when I go to the store, and purchase a product, I should be able to take it, right?

Since Christ paid the price for my sins, my suffering, my doubts, my fears, my guilt, my loneliness, my worries, I should give them to Him, right?

If I keep them, then I am stealing from the Lord, in a sense.

I bear testimony that we all have the potential to become as Heavenly Father is. It's a journey though, and it should be a journey. I need my brother's and sister's help to accomplish this, and arm in arm, we'll reach there together.

More than just the price of our sins and our sufferings - He paid the price for US.

1 Corinthians 7:22-24
"For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.

"Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
"Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God."

I love how C. S. Lewis expressed it:

"Christ says, "Give me All. I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want You. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good...Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked--the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours.""

It is beyond the worth all the universe's worldy treasures, without end, to become like Christ.

This whole idea of giving myself to Christ is sacred. Christ spent His whole life in service to others, in giving others his attention, in healing, in caring, in loving and sharing.

I loved the thrill on my mission, of meeting with someone I've never met before, and with the deepest prayer in my heart, make friends with them. What an amazing experience it has been, to see someone open their heart, even share some tears with my companion and I on a bus or by the sidewalk, because the Spirit touched them. I will forever remember those experiences, being in the service of my God.

And so, I love to zone in on those sitting alone at church meetings (with an effort to not scare them), and make a friend. Miracles have come through my prayerful, faithful efforts as I forget myself and go to work. Often I have been humbled in finding that they have helped me with a concern or question I've been praying and pondering over during the week.

I feel the joy of the Lord as I give to Him what belongs to Him, because He has paid for me.

I pray we continue our journey together. I pray we learn to give, to sacrifice, to consecrate - for therein is the secret to happiness.

I close with the Saviour's words.

JST Matthew 16:25-29

"25 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.
26 And now for a man to take up his cross, is to deny himself all ungodliness, and every worldly lust, and keep my commandments.
27 Break not my commandments for to save your lives; for whosoever will save his life in this world, shall lose it in the world to come.
28 And whosoever will lose his life in this world, for my sake, shall find it in the world to come.
29 Therefore, forsake the world, and save your souls; for what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"