The Savior's Role

There was a missionary in our ward that repeatedly stumbled. His shortcomings and fumblings were visable to us as ward members. Every Fast Sunday, he would get up in tears and express his sorrow for his failures and of his joy in the Savior's help and love. His gratitude and humility before Him and us was impressive. I loved that this young man, only 19 or 20, recognized that his only chance, his only hope, was in the Savior.

And so it is with each one of us. No matter how much we have been able to keep our list of shortcomings to a minimim, no matter how well we have been able to manage our own behavior and appear to be in good command of our own lives, each one of us--even the most righteous among us--is upheld and dependent completely upon the merits of the Lord (2 Nephi 31:19). Every gift that we have is an endowment of grace from Him. Not even our own breath can we claim as ours. I witnessed this a year ago as one of my dearest friends struggled between life and death. After she came home from the hospital after being in a coma for several weeks, I tearfully watched as she struggled to breathe. I realized it was only through the grace and goodness of God that she was being granted the breath of life. As she labored, she silently prayed--both in gratitude and for His continued mercy--as each breath was being granted to her.

Spiritually and physically our dependence on Him is without measure, though the gifts of empowerment often go unrecognized. We need the Savior. Our very breath depends on Him.

When we die, we will stand before our God. Beside us will be the Savior. Nothing will be hidden from Their all-knowing view. Our motives, our intentions, our flaws with be openly visable. It will be obvious (perhaps painfully) that we fall short of the glory of God. And yet, if we have made friends with the Savior and have clung to Him, He has promised to make up the difference. He will be our advocate and will plead our case. How humbling is the thought.

The scriptures are replete with stories of where and how the Savior spent His time. His time was spent with the poor--both in spirit and in physical need. He healed and restored life, livelihood, hope, faith, vision. His interest was in those in need of healing, who fell short of perfection. And yet, so often we have a hard time believing that He doesn't actually prefer the already perfected. If that were the case, how mightily lonely would the Savior's role be because He was the only perfect man to walk the earth. He was the only one who was able to follow the Lord's commandments with exactness, never having need of repentance.

The Savior knew we would not be perfect, that everyone one of us would suffer from the effects of the fall, that our only hope, our only chance, would be through Him. Thus, the plan of redemption. Speaking of everyone of us, He said, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick" (Matt. 9: 12). We all are sick without Him and are in need of healing. We all need to be redeemed. To redeem means to buy back, to set free, to rescue, to make worthwhile (I love that one!).

How grateful I am for my testimony of His mission and of His ability to perform His role perfectly. How grateful I am for my testimony that He knows and cares intimately for little ol' me and for little ol' you!

Originally posted 7/12/08.