Faith in Our God of the 4th Watch

Can you imagine the wonder and awe, the splendor and the Glory, of that moment when God the Father and His Beloved Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove! To have them call Joseph by name, forgive his sins, and answer his deepest questions. (see Joseph Smith History in the Pearl of Great Price)

Or what about the marvelous and miraculous moment when the ancient apostles saw Jesus walking to them on the water in the midst of a storm, and the amazement Peter must have felt when Christ bid him to come to Him upon the water, and he actually took those incredible first steps… on top of the water… without sinking! (See Mark, and Matthew 14:25-31)

Or what of the ancient inhabitants of America when, wonder of all wonders, they heard the voice of God the Father from heaven announcing Jesus Christ as His Beloved Son, and saw the Resurrected and glorified Lord descending in glory from heaven into their midst, and then heard His call to individually come unto Him and experience Him and to be healed of all afflictions! (See 3 Nephi 11)

There is a pattern in each of these glorious experiences which is becoming increasingly more important for us to recognize, as we find ourselves in world which seems to spinning out of control and going downhill in so many ways.

Much of what young Joseph Smith experienced PRIOR to the Glorious manifestation he had, sounds much like personal and world events of our day: (see if you can relate to any of this)

· He struggled for approximately 2 years while searching for the truth and his answer

· He was surrounded by “A scene of great confusion”, “a strife of words and contest about opinions”

· There was “great excitement” and his mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness”

· “great were the confusion and strife”

· “the cry and tumult were so great and incessant”

· Caught up in a “war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself, what is to be done?”

· “while I was laboring under extreme difficulties”

· “at length I came to the determination to ask of God.”

· “I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me”

· “thick darkness gathered around me”

· “It seemed as if I was doomed to sudden destruction”

All of these challenging things led up to and preceded his glorious manifestation of The Father & Son.

Let us next consider the miraculous account of Christ and Peter walking on the water, found in Mark 6:48-50:

48 And he saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

(The 1st watch = 6-9 pm. The 2nd watch = 9pm-midnight. The 3rd watch = midnight to 3am. And the 4th watch = 3-6 am. They had been toiling and laboring the entire night in this terrible storm!)

49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:

50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”

And then in Matthew 14:25-31 we read of Peter stepping of the boat in faith and walking on the water.

We worship a God of the 4th Watch! Often it seems as if He is delaying His coming and interactions with us. It seems as if he leaves us struggling and toiling along with no apparent relief in sight, and no logical way out of our dilemma. But there is a divine purpose in these patterns!

In Helaman through 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon – (In the challenging time before Christ came in His glory) we read about the following conditions which existed:

· Corruption and secret combinations had overtaken the places of government leadership.

· The faithful saints and followers of Christ were being persecuted and mocked for their beliefs

· There came a time of prophesied calamity, destruction and devastation.

· There came a period of darkness and mourning, which certainly must have left the righteous wondering whether the Lord was actually going to come or not.

But then He CAME in glory, and individually and personally healed them, and ministered unto them and blessed them!

In these 3 cases:

Do you think Joseph Smith cared he had struggled for 2 years in difficulty once he had received his divine manifestation?

Do you think Peter cared whether or not he had toiled all night in a storm, when the Savior bid him come to Him upon the water… and he actually took those marvelous first steps?

Do you think the persecution and struggle and destruction mattered to the ancient Nephites once the Glorified Savior stood in their midst and healed them?

Why should we expect our journey into the presence of our Savior or His return to the world to be any different for us in these times?

In Fact, the struggles you face personally may be a sign that you are on the right course, because the adversary is throwing all his junk at you to wear you out and discourage you from the Light and blessings which are waiting just beyond if you can hold out faithful.

And the headfirst, accelerated declines and struggles we see in the world, may in fact be just like the stormy, wind-tossed seas of toil which occur just before the Savior comes to us, and bids us miraculously to come unto Him. And the warfare, calamities, corruption and disasters which we see unfolding around us, may in fact, just be the darkness before the Light of His glorious Second Coming.

Speaking of the Last Days in which we live, Daniel 7:25 states – “And he (the adversary and those who serve him) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they (the saints) shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

We see in this pattern of preparation how the adversary is trying to simply wear us out. To cause us to lose hope and just give up in the midst of struggle and hardship.  But the reality is, the Lord is trying to prepare us.

We live in a world of instant information and gratification, but perhaps the Savior is loving trying to refine and prepare us, and build our faith and trust in Him, rather than logic or worldly institutions.

We get to choose which path we will take: Will we give up and give in when things get hard or don’t come instantly?  Or will we stay faithfully on the covenant path, trusting in Him no matter what difficulties arise. Just as those who prepared to receive the Lord in past times, we too must expect some opposition as we seek to prepare ourselves and the world for the 2ndComing of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Now, in regards to our repentance and forgiveness, Jesus Christ is a God of the 1st watch. He is quick to forgive us and put us back upon the right path when we sincerely repent and turn to Him.

But in the other struggles of life and in the hardships of the world around us, please Don’t give up on the God of the 4th watch who is preparing you for the Joy which is only found through enduring faithfully.

Like Joseph, in the tumult and war of words and opinions in the world, keep faith as the Lord prepares you to approach your own personal sacred grove.

Like the ancient apostles, keep your faith in Jesus Christ so that you can be prepared to continue walking towards Him upon the stormy seas of life which currently separate you from Him.

Like the ancient inhabitants of the Americas, who suffered persecution, mocking and prophesied destructions and calamities, keep your faith in Jesus Christ… knowing that His glorious Second Coming awaits all those who endure faithfully and allow themselves to become refined.

Jesus Christ is the source of the Joy, peace and strength we experience along the gospel path which leads back into His divine presence! Keep your faith in Jesus Christ. But remember – Having Faith in Jesus Christ is not an end in and of itself. Living faith in Jesus Christ only leads in one direction, and that is back into His presence… even if it doesn’t happen until the 4th watch!

-Eric Andreasen