Remembering is an important thing to do, and remembering what is important is even more critical if we wish to succeed. But what is success? If you could remember from a past existence that you were sent here to do something specific and that you in fact made a covenant with God to do a certain something for him, then that would be an important thing to remember and in fact that would be your success, your great success to accomplish what you promised God that you would do!
Today I read a talk by Henry D. Taylor called “And Always Remember Him“. It spoke of the Last Supper of our Lord with His 12 Apostles the night preceding His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane. He instituted what we refer to as the Sacrament where He commissioned His apostles to eat the blessed bread and wine in remembrance of His body and blood that would be sacrificed for them. This sacrifice is called the Atonement and enables all true followers of Jesus to repent and find forgiveness of their sins and become pure and holy before God that they can one day come back alive and then literally go back into the presence of God to live with Him forever in Heaven. This is what the scriptures mean when it says in John 3:16:
16 ¶ For aGod so bloved the cworld, that he dgave his eonly begotten fSon, that whosoever gbelieveth in him should not perish, but have heverlasting ilife.
Everlasting life is not only to live forever, but to also life in God’s presence which is the reason we are here, to see if we will accept Him in the world, repent of our sins, keep His commandments so that we can go back to live with Him forever. This place is just a test. Read this scripture:
25 And we will aprove them herewith, to see if they will bdo all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;
This is just to prove to God that we will do all that He commands us! Did you know that? Do you remember that? Can you remember that all the time? Why is it important?
I read also today in the Book of Mormon why it is important to remember that and to prove to God and to ourselves that it is important:
15 Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in agood works, that Christ, the bLord God Omnipotent, may cseal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who dcreated all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.
In reading that I would like to point out that this life is just a short, little, yet important test to see if you and I qualify to humble ourselves, do God’s will that we may be “brought to heaven” and live with God forever. That whole chapter also discusses making a covenant to take upon ourselves the name of Christ and always keeping Him in our remembrance. Why is it so difficult to remember? It is so easy to get caught up in the latest movie, or the latest series, or the latest professional sports which are fun, but do they move us closer in doing God’s will? How important is it to deny ourselves of all sin and things of this world so that we can always remember our Lord and do His will? This scripture shows what we should remind ourselves of in order to prepare ourselves for the Life after this Life if we want to be with God forever, because if we expect to be with Him in the next life, we must learn to remember Him in this life and remember to do His will and prove to Him that we want to be with Him:
23 And there was nothing save it was exceeding aharshness, bpreaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and continually creminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and all these things—stirring them up dcontinually to keep them in the fear of the Lord. I say there was nothing short of these things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep them from going down speedily to destruction. And after this manner do I write concerning them.
Why is it that we need to be reminded of the judgements of God and the length of eternity in order for us to wake up and remember to do God’s will, repent and keep His commandments. It is so easy to become lax and forget Him. He wants you to return to live with Him. He will help you return to live with Him, but He will never force you to live with Him. It is on you to remember, to repent and to prepare to live with Him forever. It is worth it! Please wake up and remember!! I will continue to do the same, it is a daily task just like the Doobie Brothers said: “Minute by minute, by minute!” 🙂 I hope you will remember who you are, why you were sent here, that God loves you and that He wants you to return to live with Him forever and ever and ever!
I think the lyrics to this song could be taken as a plea from God that He is the One that is waiting minute by minute, and is holding on for us to return to Him:
Minute by Minute
Hey, don’t you worry, I’ve been lied to
I’ve been here many times before
Girl, don’t you worry, I know where I stand
I don’t need this love, I don’t need your hand
I know I could turn, blink, and you’d be gone
Then I must be prepared any time to carry on
But minute by minute by minute by minute
I keep holding on
Oh, minute by minute by minute by minute
I keep holding on
You will stay just to watch me, darlin’
Will away on lies from you
Can’t stop the habit of livin’ on the run
I take it all for granted like you’re the only one
Livin’ on my own
Somehow that sounds nice
You think I’m you fool
Well, you may just be right
But minute by minute by minute by minute
I keep holding on
Oh, minute by minute by minute by minute
I keep holding on
Call my name and I’ll be gone
You’ll reach out and I won’t be there
Just my luck you’ll realize
You should spend your life with someone
You could spend your life with someone
But minute by minute by minute by minute
I keep holding on
Oh, minute by minute by minute by minute
I keep holding on