Thank you for coming to devotional today. We are happy to be able to welcome you and share some thoughts and our testimonies with you as you begin this fall semester.
Last year at Christmastime our grandchildren built a really big snowman in our yard. By the end of January that snowman had disappeared in the drifts of snow that came. But the seasons change. And just this week I harvested strawberries from our garden not far from where that snowman and all the snow around it had melted in the spring.
As I picked those strawberries I had a wonderful feeling of gratitude for the blessings of the Lord. I felt strongly the hand of the Lord in providing us order and beauty in our lives. And I know that when we take the time to notice it, we can see Him not just in the beauty around us, but in the details of our lives.
We have seen His hand so much recently in the lives of our family. We welcomed two new grandbabies this summer, and we have seen many other sweet blessings and tender mercies even in the smallest details of the daily lives of our children and their families. We are so grateful for these blessings, and we are grateful that our children recognize the Lord’s hand in blessing them.
We never know what will happen in our lives or what trials lie ahead. But if we learn to recognize the Lord’s hand, we will be able to deal with whatever comes.
We have some close friends who had twins. One of the babies was born with a disease that threatened to take his life at a very young age. Through many surgeries and lots of prayer and faith, he survived; but was left blind and handicapped. Brian’s mom and dad had to work very hard and spend lots of time and effort to help him as he grew and developed. They had other children and other pressures in their lives, and taking care of Brian could have been a burden and trial for his family. But it wasn’t. It did take a lot of effort, but they recognized the Lord’s hand in their lives and looked to Him for help. They came to see their son as a great blessing in their lives. Last week I attended Brian’s funeral. He had lived almost 22 years. What a joyous day it was. They celebrated Brian’s life. He had been a blessing to his family and to all around him who served him.
Some families who have these kinds of trials become bitter. They dwell on what might have been and regret the reality of their lives. They feel the burden and the heartache; and they become angry with the Lord. They are like the children of Israel in the wilderness who complained bitterly to Moses against the Lord. In Numbers 21:5 we read:
And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
The Lord had given the children of Israel life-giving bread, but they complained about it. And the Lord taught them (and us) a great lesson.
He sent fiery serpents to bite the children of Israel, and many died. When the children of Israel admitted the error of their ways, the Lord allowed Moses to raise the serpent of brass as a sign. He didn’t take the serpents away, but he provided the children of Israel a way to be healed. All they had to do was look upon the serpent of brass.
This is a pattern or a type for us: if we look to God, our Heavenly Father, and to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we too will be healed. The more we look to Him, the better our lives will be.
As Nephi taught in 1 Nephi 19:7:
For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words—they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.
We can see the hand of the Lord in every experience we have if we are willing to look. That is how we find joy through our trials.
I pray that we will remember to take notice of the hand of the Lord in our lives and express gratitude daily for the wonderful gifts we receive. He is there in every difficulty dispensing blessings; but if we’re too busy complaining, we won’t see them and they won’t be ours. Counting blessings will help us to survive with light and joy as trials come our way.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.