The Rest of the Lord
I had always heard of the "rest of the Lord" and imagined it to be some far off, abstract day when all of our troubles would magically disappear and I could lay on the couch all day and sleep. This of course had to be in the next life, probably after the judgement, so it was going to be a while. But the other day I heard an Ensign article called "Enter into the Rest of the Lord" by Elder W. Craig Zwick and it took on a new meaning for me. I, of course, and totally overwhelmed with my amazing life and am so very tired, physically, emotionally, etc. so the idea of rest at all is just fantastic for me. There are several quotes from past prophets, and then he says that from this "we understand that in this life 'the rest of the Lord' comes as we increase our knowledge or, and faith in, the reality of Jesus Christ, even to the assurance that He lives and loves us. 'The rest of the Lord' in eternity is entering into the presence of the Lord." So we can have rest in this life by believing in Jesus and striving to be more like him? Because that would be fantastic.
I think this was most a talk about the priesthood, but interestingly enough there were some really interesting points for me. Elder Zwick teaches that Alma "taught that during the premortality, God tested and selected the men who would be His priesthood leaders in this life. They were 'called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God on account of their exceeding faith and good works... to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest. (Alma 13:3,6)" Does this mean that all the men who have or had the priesthood in this life were foreordained for such in the preexistence or just the major leaders? It was just a very interesting concept to me, especially considering the men that I know who have or have had the priesthood. I had never considered that it would be a foreordination, honestly I never really thought it was that big of a deal, it's just what boys and men got when they got older and it didn't really mean anything because priesthood authority was abundant but priesthood power was very few and far between. But really, looking at it from the eternal perspective, holding the priesthood was a duty assigned eons ago and this because of individual faithfulness. That really puts a whole different spin on what the priesthood means, that is something else that I can teach my son about who he is, why he's here, and what a privilege it is to have the priesthood.
Even though there were many excellent and in depth points covered by this article, the main idea that I got out of it, wasn't that this "rest" come in a physical way only at some crazy future time, but it's a spiritual rest to be enjoyed NOW. It is the peace and calm and assurance that comes to one's spirit when they are anchored on the knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ as taught and explained by the Church. It is comfort and love and resolution that comes from knowing that in the end, everything will be ok. And that is a beautiful feeling.
I think this was most a talk about the priesthood, but interestingly enough there were some really interesting points for me. Elder Zwick teaches that Alma "taught that during the premortality, God tested and selected the men who would be His priesthood leaders in this life. They were 'called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God on account of their exceeding faith and good works... to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest. (Alma 13:3,6)" Does this mean that all the men who have or had the priesthood in this life were foreordained for such in the preexistence or just the major leaders? It was just a very interesting concept to me, especially considering the men that I know who have or have had the priesthood. I had never considered that it would be a foreordination, honestly I never really thought it was that big of a deal, it's just what boys and men got when they got older and it didn't really mean anything because priesthood authority was abundant but priesthood power was very few and far between. But really, looking at it from the eternal perspective, holding the priesthood was a duty assigned eons ago and this because of individual faithfulness. That really puts a whole different spin on what the priesthood means, that is something else that I can teach my son about who he is, why he's here, and what a privilege it is to have the priesthood.
Even though there were many excellent and in depth points covered by this article, the main idea that I got out of it, wasn't that this "rest" come in a physical way only at some crazy future time, but it's a spiritual rest to be enjoyed NOW. It is the peace and calm and assurance that comes to one's spirit when they are anchored on the knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ as taught and explained by the Church. It is comfort and love and resolution that comes from knowing that in the end, everything will be ok. And that is a beautiful feeling.
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