I heard an analogy on KLUV the other day about a pumpkin. The world’s largest pumpkin is 2323 pounds. He mentioned that despite it’s gigantic size – it started with a pumpkin seed. He said something about how it grew because it was connected to it’s vine and that we can stay connected to our Vine in order to grow.
It is also in this connection that we find joy and rest.
…The Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming–
…that they might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord their God -Alma 16:16-17
This brought me back to a question that was asked by a youth while we were cross-country skiing: “If even those who are skilled at skiing fall – what hope do we have of not falling while we ski? And if even those who have great testimonies [they have been studying King David in seminary] fall, what hope do we have to make it through alright with our testimonies?”
I knew our hope lay in Christ, but as I heard this analogy on the radio, it hit me that the hope is all about this connection. If we are connected and being nourished by the our Savior – we will grow and reach our potential. If we put anything else in front of that connection (like David did with a girl), we sever it and we decay. Thankfully, unlike pumpkins, because of the atonement – we can reconnect to our Vine whenever we choose to remove what we put there that blocks the connection.
I just read and discussed The Great Divorce by CS Lewis with a group of youth. This book was all about how many different things we can put in front of our connection to God. The way is open for us – available to and attainable by all, but we choose something else. Some of the things chosen in the book were power, continual inquiry as a game, skepticism and cynicism to avoid taking responsibility, romance, being thought smart or attractive, being thought fashionable or current, being needed, a need to blame, talents for our own glory, control over others, drama or acting a part, lust, and even love of others (when it replaces a love of God). And even if we die – we will continue to choose whatever we chose first in this life. We get the reward that we daily choose.
It isn’t worth it, not by a long shot, to choose anything before God. We cannot reach our potential without Him. We will decay into misery. But those enticements are strong, subtle and often disguised as good things. We have to really want to follow God or we will be seduced to following other passions. I am so easily distracted. But I do trust and love my Heavenly Father. He is so good to me.
Challenge (I did this last night as I went to bed- it felt so nice): close your eyes and listen to this song.
“There is but one good; that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to Him and bad when it turns from Him.” -CS Lewis
Learning Love - My Story 