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Devoted Reverence

Devoted Reverence

Last updated on: December 26, 2024 at 5:41 pm by Sharon Black

Devoted Reverence 2024-12-26T17:41:58-04:00 Sharon Black

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Staring at sky in devoted reverence.

(Fuu/Unsplash)

“Joy to the world the the Lord is come. Let earth receive her king.”

We’ve loved singing this carol as we’ve celebrated the birth of the precious Christ child. Keep singing it. Its true meaning extends our devoted reverence

A Song of Joys

Joy to the World was written by Isaac Watts in 1719. He was an English minister who is now recognized as one of the greatest of hymn writers. He did not intend Joy to the World as a Christmas carol, but as a song looking toward the Savior’s second coming. But the public wanted to use it for Christmas, and the public has a way of doing what they want with artistic creations, regardless of what the creator had in in mind. It is now the “most published Christmas Carol of the 20th Century”

We may join Mr. Watts in expanding and increasing our joys. For example, the second stanza can be applied to Christ’s nativity and well beyond.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy! Repeat the sounding joy!
Repeat . . . repeat . . . the sounding joy!

We can experience devoted reverence and benefit from these joys whenever we want to think about them.

In the 2024 First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional, Tamera Runia told us the “heavenly shepherd became the lamb of God.” When we think about them, Christ’s roles as shepherd and lamb are infinite and eternal. And all of them manifest His love for us, bringing us earthly and eternal joys.

A Season of Renewal

As the season turns, let us pause in reverence and move forward with joy. In Great Britain, as well as Canada, Australia, and new Zealand, the day after Christmas is designated as “boxing day.” Boxes have many uses, of course, and incidentally so has boxing day. This federal-level holiday includes closing schools along with many businesses and other organizations. The boxes are used to hold gifts that show appreciation. Historically, masters gave gifts, as well as a day off, to their servants. Today the boxes may contain gifts of appreciation to service providers, such as those who deliver mail or keep roads and public places clean.

With the coming of the new year, the word “resolution” is floating among us. As we focus on what is ahead, the practices and necessities of everyday life seem to crowd in. I’d like to share some resolution ideas that have been inspiring to me—from people who know.

Joy in the Journey

In a conference talk bluntly titled “Of Regrets and Resolutions,” Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf pointed out that “Sometimes in life we become so focused on the finish line that we fail to find joy in the journey.” He cycles with his wife, not for the accomplishment of finishing, but for the joy of being together.

He advised, “We shouldn’t wait to be happy until we reach some future point, only to discover that happiness was already available—all the time! Life is not meant to be appreciated only in retrospect.” Despite difficult circumstances and challenges, “There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if only we will see and appreciate it,” both with our eyes and with our hearts.

Most of my life I’ve been a “just keep going until it passes” sort of person. Now I’m learning devoted reverence. During nearly 30 years as a professor, with the simultaneous and more important role as a mother of three highly creative children, I often felt out of control on the journey. I had my prompting at a tense time as I was staggering toward my car. “If you could teach fewer classes, which one would you drop? If you had to spend less time with any or all of your children, what would you stop doing?” The answer was none. I kept staggering—but a little more upright.

Now that my creative children are independent creative adults, I’m so grateful that the resolutions to get better organized or sacrifice “little things” were cast aside. It’s those little things that we still remember gratefully.

Celestial Thinking

Resolution-lives entered the fast lane when our beloved Prophet, Russell M. Nelson, introduced the words and the concept “think celestial.”

When you are confronted with a dilemma, think celestial! When tested by temptation, think celestial! When life or loved ones let you down, think celestial! When someone dies prematurely, think celestial. When someone lingers with a devastating illness, think celestial. When the pressures of life crowd in upon you, think celestial! As you recover from an accident or injury . . . think celestial!

Prophets can cover things intensively, conclusively, and tactfully in the extreme. Nothing can or should alter this. But hanging signs in my home and scolding myself soundly have not brought me to this ideal.

Our family knows temptation’s tentacles. And close family members are struggling with serious physical and mental health problems. Death has recently taken two beyond the veil. None of us is educated or reliably capable on serious clinical depression, devastating crises in lifelong chronic illness, or complete withdrawal from other persons. And we need help with all of these.

However, we know that God deals with all these things; and in His perfection He knows what is best for everyone. As family members we can think celestially as we all pray personally and specifically for those we love. We know the Lord hears our prayers. And He knows everything that can AND SHOULD be done. Our trust is, I believe, a form of celestial thinking.

When I am devoting my heart and mind, time and energy to my calling in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I feel God’s concern and His guidance. He lets me struggle—I know what a stupor of thought feels like. But after I’ve struggled with impractical or unwise choices, He gently helps me understand better ways. He trusts me to try, and I trust him to rescue me from faulty or foolish tries.

When I am considering resolutions, especially in terms of devoted reverence, I bring images of Elder Uchtdorf and President Nelson into my mind. I keep trying, and I definitely keep believing.

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