RE-UNITED & AT-ONE-MENT

I am sure that each of us is heartbroken to some degree to have family, friends or loved ones who have become estranged to us. Bridges have been burned, and hearts have been broken, and chasms of separation seem to now lay between us. Perhaps they are siblings, children, grandchildren or dear friends. From our limited mortal perspective our faith can waiver and we might wonder how or if ever such relationships could ever be restored.

Such is the miracle of faith and the keeping of covenants with God, who through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ can perform miracles!

Consider the Old Testament stories of Jacob and his brother Esau who wanted to kill him, or perhaps that of Joseph and his brothers who desired to slay him, but instead sold him away into slavery. How could such divisions be mended? How could hearts so hardened to the point there were intent on shedding blood be softened and turned? To the mortal mind, it seems impossible.

But we worship a God of miracles, and it is the power of our faith which unlocks those miracles… in the Lord’s time, and in the Lord’s perfect way.

“And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles. But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. …And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles. …And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles. And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust. Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.” - (Moroni 9:11,15,19-21)

I imagine that when Jacob fled from his brother Esau, he didn’t intend to be gone for 20 years (Genesis 31:41) before returning home. But in that time he remained faithful to his covenants with God, and was blessed, and when he returned, he still did not have assurance that Esau would forgive him, but he was obedient to the Lord’s command for him to return, and he faithfully trusted in the Lord’s covenant promises to him. And in that time, which was likely far longer than he could have imagined, God had worked his miracle in Esau’s heart. “And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept” (Genesis 33:4). The unthinkable miracle had happened!

I am sure that when Joseph was nearly killed and sold away into slavery, that he never imagined that the rest of his life would be spent in Egypt, far away from his family and homeland. Yet despite his wrongful imprisonment for several years, he continued faithful, chaste and true to his covenants, trusting in God and His purposes. I don’t know for sure how old Joseph was when he was sold away, or how long Joseph was in Potiphar’s house before his 2 years in prison, but he was 30 years old when Pharaoh made him his right-hand man, and another 7 years of plenty passed before the famine came, but we might surmise that a few decades at least passed during this time. Yet through it all, Joseph was patient, faithful, and trusted in God’s covenant promises to him. And the miracle occurred, that his family was brought back to him, and a way of redemption and reconciliation was made!

“And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.” (Genesis 45:14-15)

And just think of Joseph’s father Jacob, who thought his covenant son, Joseph, had been slain and lost to him forever. Surely hid did not know how the covenant would be continued, but he remained faithful and believed, and his covenant son was returned to him, and was the means of preserving him and his family from starvation.

Or consider Alma and his wayward son, Alma the younger, or the parable of the Prodigal son, or countless other scriptural examples.

If God is the same yesterday, today and forever… then what can we learn about faith in God and our covenant relationship with Him?

We must hold out faith and hope, not in ourselves or our efforts, but in the God of miracles Whom we worship. We must remain faithful and obedient to the covenants the Lord has promised us. And then we must wait upon the Lord for the miracles to occur.

Some miracles may not come until the next life or during the Millennial reign, but God NEVER fails to deliver on His promises to us… “IF” we remain faithful and true to our covenants with Him.

These scriptural examples fill me with great hope! And that hope is bright, because it is founded in faith in Jesus Christ, who is the Giver of all good gifts, and whose mission it is to bring Father’s children back into His presence again! He is the Great Redeemer and Re-Uniter and can bring us all back into At-One-Ment through the miracle of His atoning sacrifice and our covenant relationship with Him.