“Encircled
in His Gentle Arms”
Like
many others, I have often been inspired by beautiful works of art and music.
One such occasion was when I stood before a masterful painting created by the
Danish artist Frans Schwartz titled The Agony in the Garden.1
This achingly beautiful painting depicts the Savior kneeling in
the Garden of Gethsemane. As He prays, an angel stands next to Him, enfolding
Him in gentle arms, offering comfort, heavenly succor, and support.
The longer I contemplate this painting, the more my heart and
mind swell with inexpressible feelings of tenderness and gratitude. I can sense, in small part, what it must
have been like to be present as the Savior began His great culminating work of
mortality by taking upon Himself the sins of the world. I marvel at the
infinite love and compassion the Father has for His children. I am overwhelmed
with profound gratitude for what the sinless Son did for all mankind and for
me.
The Sacrifice of the Son of God
Each
year at this time we commemorate and ponder the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for all mankind.
What
the Savior did from Gethsemane to Golgotha on our behalf is beyond my ability
to grasp. He took upon Himself the burden of our sins and paid an eternal and
binding ransom not only for Adam’s original transgression but also for the sins
and transgressions of the billions upon billions of souls who have ever lived.
This eternal, sacred sacrifice caused “even God, the greatest of all, to
tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body
and spirit” (D&C 19:18).
He suffered for me.
He suffered for you.
My soul overflows with gratitude when I contemplate the precious
meaning of this sacrifice. It humbles me to know that all who accept this gift
and incline their hearts to Him can be forgiven and cleansed of their sins, no
matter how dark their blemish or how oppressive their burden.
We can be made spotless and pure once again. We can be redeemed
by the eternal sacrifice of our beloved Savior.
Who Will Comfort Us?
Though none of us will ever have to experience the depth of what
our Lord suffered, we each will have our own dark and bitter hours—times when
our sorrow and grief may appear to be greater than we can bear. There will be
times when the weight and remorse of our sins will press mercilessly upon us.
Even so, if we will lift our hearts to the Lord during those
times, surely He will know and understand. He who suffered so selflessly for us
in the garden and on the cross will not leave us comfortless now. He will
strengthen, encourage, and bless us. He will encircle us in His gentle arms.
He will be more than an angel to us.
He will
bring us blessed comfort, healing, hope, and forgiveness.
For He is our Redeemer.
Our Deliverer.
Our merciful Savior and our blessed God.
Teaching from this Message
Before you teach, seek the Spirit’s guidance to help you
understand the specific needs of those you teach. As you share excerpts from
President Uchtdorf’s message, bear testimony of the Savior and of His redeeming
sacrifice. Consider asking those you teach what His Atonement means to them and
how they have felt the Lord’s comfort during their “dark and bitter hours.”
Youth
Victory
through Jesus
Christ
I had a problem with overeating. My repeated bouts of gorging
resulted in a harrowing mass of guilt, frustration, and disappointment. I felt
so weak when I tried to overcome my problem.
For a long time I neglected the fact that the Savior’s Atonement
not only saves us but also redeems us and perfects us, and that this even
applies to my obviously imperfect habit of overeating.
I decided to give myself to my Savior. I prayed. I sincerely
admitted my weakness and my need for grace, and then I asked Heavenly Father to
bless me with His divine assistance in the upcoming day. That night I felt the
assurance of a loving Father that He had the immeasurable desire to help His
son and the unquestionable power to fulfill His will.
Since that night, food no longer has the same overwhelming
influence over me. I know Jesus Christ is the reason for my success. Just
like Paul, I am learning that “I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
And I’m trying to never forget another lesson from Paul: “Thanks be to God,
which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Children
The Savior Will Comfort You
Ask a family member
or a friend about a time when he or she felt comforted by the Savior. Try to
think of a time when the Savior comforted you. You could draw a picture of the
experience and hang it by your bed to remind you that Jesus Christ will always be there to comfort you.
“Overwhelmed”
cji
3/1/15
Encompassed by
perfect love
even though I’m so
imperfect
feeling the eternal
warmth given
knowing truly I’m a
child of God;
Seeking always to
share love
being in Father’s
service here
overwhelmed by
awesomeness
at times to comfort
another;
Tears flowing freely
most times
knowing such comfort
I’m given
through trials and
tribulations
knowing truly I’m a
child of God!
Copyright © 2015 –
cji
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