100/100

I've heard it said that it's not enough for a marriage to be 50/50. If each partner gives what they think is 50 percent, there will be less than 100 percent total, and they will each blame each other for not contributing enough. However, when each partner gives 100 percent, when they each devote their whole lives and souls to each other, then there will be more than enough for both of them.

I believe that the same is true for our relationship with God. God is 100 percent devoted to us and our eternal welfare, but that alone is not enough. To achieve salvation and eternal life, it's not enough for Him to be 100 percent devoted to us. We must also be 100 percent devoted to Him.

This is one of the many concepts I've blogged about that I have struggled with and sometimes continue to struggle with. I am reluctant to let myself be or become 100 percent devoted to anyone or anything, at least not unless I know what I'm getting in return. I tend to reserve full commitment until I know what blessings are promised in return from my commitment. Essentially, I've been trying to have a 50/50 relationship with God.

Naturally, this doesn't work. Withholding commitment from God deprives us of some of His choicest blessings. And besides, a half-commitment is hardly any commitment at all. If we want our relationship with God to work out, we need to show Him as much devotion as He shows us. We need to give 100 percent to God, the same as He gives 100 to us. As we do so, we'll strengthen our relationship with God and hasten our progress toward living with Him again.

Trying to have a 50/50 relationship with God doesn't work, so far as I've tried it. The only way a relationship like this can work is if both parties give 100 percent.

Focus and Feast

I should find out what the purposes of church are and how to fulfill them, because I'm pretty sure I haven't been doing that. Today, I physically attended church for the first time in a long time, but I'm not sure I got much more out of it than I get out of attending church virtually. It didn't feel any more real, more impactful, or more powerful than virtual church does.

I think my problem is that I wasn't focused. I wasn't really listening to the speakers or thinking about what they were saying. I wasn't feasting on the word of Christ. I'm not sure I was even snacking on it. I was too distracted, thinking about other things.

I plan to do better tomorrow. I have some plans for tomorrow, so I can't spend all day focused on the gospel, as I arguably should have today, but I can at least spend a solid hour focusing on the scriptures, the gospel, and/or any other spiritual matter I decide to focus on. Frankly, I should make that a daily habit. It would be good to spend an hour each day really feasting on the word of Christ.

I didn't really focus of the gospel today, like I should have, but I will tomorrow.

Enduring and Learning from Afflictions

I'm a little worried. It's so hot where I live right now, and yet, it's not even Summer yet. I'm not sure how hard this Summer is going to be, and I'm not looking forward to it.

Still, I suppose that afflictions, including uncomfortable amounts of heat, are a part of life and an essential part of our spiritual progression. We came to earth partly so we could experience afflictions and the growth that they can bring.

I suppose I should look forward to the coming Summer and the growth experiences I'll have during it. After all, we were excited to come to Earth. Perhaps I should consider myself fortunate that I get to experience some of life's character-building experiences, including heat waves.

Thankfully, I know I'll get through it. I've been blessed with a good deal of comfort and resources that will help me endure the heat of the current heat wave and the coming Summer. I hate to think about how hard this Summer will be for those who aren't as fortunate.I'd like to help them. Maybe I'll manage to think of a way in which I can.

In the meantime, I'm going to try to keep my chin up. Yeah, we're dealing with some unpleasantness right now, but that's life. You endure it, learn from it, and move forwards. Here's hoping that this heat wave and the heat of the Summer might give me something to learn from and help me become a better person.

Team Robarts

When my family attends social events and stays long enough to see the cleanup crew starting to get to work, we usually join them. We've gotten pretty good at it. We take out garbage, clean up messes, and put away tables and chairs. We tend to be fairly diligent about it, and all we need in return is the fuel we need to keep going. We're the best free labor that refreshments can buy. We are Team Robarts. We do good and do it well. And frankly, I'm proud to be a part of the Team. It's work, but it's good work, and I'm proud that we're happy to do it.

Missing Hymns

Today, I was reminded how much I love singing hymns, perhaps not so much in a church setting, but just on my own, where I can sing whatever hymn(s) I feel like singing and take the time to think about the lyrics. I used to sing hymns a lot when I went to the Temple, but I stopped doing that around the time I started to write down my thoughts instead. Frankly, until today, it had probably been several months since I had sung hymns and really meant what I was singing, with maybe one or two exceptions some time in the last few months. The hymnal is full of important messages, both to say and to hear, and I've been missing them.

The scary part was that I hadn't realized I was missing them. Perhaps it was something like the boiling frog, but in reverse. I didn't realize how cold I had been gradually getting until I sang a hymn that warmed my heart. I'm glad this happened. I'm glad I was reminded today of how important hymns are to me, and I'm glad to have them back in my life. I had forgotten how much I need them. Now, I just need to try not to forget again.

Bearing the Standard

Tonight, we read about what an ensign is and about several examples of ensigns, including us. 

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16

As part of being a light to the world and letting our light shine before others, we should do our best to maintain high moral standards, especially in pubic. This is, of course, far easier said than done, but it's important to try. We can't lead others to the light of the Gospel unless we ourselves are living by it. If we want to help others find the Gospel path, we have to be on it ourselves. Rallying others around the standard of the Church requires us to uphold those standards.

It's important to help others find the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but, to that end, it's even more important to live it.

Deeds and Rewards

D&C 64:11 And ye ought to say in your hearts—let God judge between me and thee, and reward thee according to thy deeds.

The context of this verse was the injunction for wronged individuals to forgive those who have wronged them, trusting that God would reward the wrong-doer(s)'s evil deeds with punishment, but really, God rewards everyone according to their deeds. Those who do good receive additional blessings. Those who do evil are punished. That's justice. Everyone is rewarded according to their deeds.

There have been times when I tried to negotiate with God, agreeing to keep certain commandments or perform certain acts of service only if He would give me certain blessings for doing so. I now realize that I may have been wasting my breath. God always blesses those who do good. I may not have gotten the exact blessings I wanted, but God knows what I need and want, and He was bound to have blessed me with something. I didn't need to negotiate. The fact that I'd be blessed was a given. People are always rewarded according to their deeds. The only exceptions are wrong-doers who repent.

We don't really need to worry about making sure we or others get their just desserts. God's got it covered. Thanks to the Final Judgement and God's granting of various blessings, both here and hereafter, justice is basically a given. All people will be rewarded according to their deeds, whether they be good or whether they be evil. So, let's do good deeds and not worry too much about the past deeds of others. God sees all our deeds and will reward everyone accordingly.