What does God think of the Bloggernacle?
Or maybe the question should be: Does God think of the Bloggernacle? I’m reminded of that great story in told in general conference a few years ago about a priesthood leader that was in need and had the name of a certain man come into his head as the right person to ask for help. This saint made the requested sacrifice and said it was worth it all “just to know the God in heaven knows my name.” This post is to assure you, good readers, that God knows your names.
I know that God knows you because he specifically directed me to seek help from you in my time of great need. My faith in a miracle was slowly growing throughout that long night of darkness last week but I needed more faith. I got a very clear and strong impression that I needed to make the 30 minute drive back home that midnight to humbly beg for that assistance here. After I did so I immediately returned to the ICU but I felt somehow better.
Why did it help? Why would he send me to you? I’m convinced it is because you are among the very elect. You are among the spiritual superstars of the planet. You are the spiritual super heroes. You are among the angels God sent me to when I needed help moving a mountain. You are part of the tiny percentage of people on this planet that are teetering on the brink of Celestial glory… of exaltation. You have great power. And my family benefited from your great power. The mountain moved.
What does God think of the Bloggernacle? He loves it dearly because the Bloggernacle is made up of the most precious things in the universe – The souls of men and women.
Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God
(D&C 18: 10)For behold, this is my work and my glory-to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39)
God is clearly not in the business of saving the mortal lives of three year old boys. Many others have been allowed to pass through the veil without his intervention. But God is in the business of bringing to pass eternal life. The first step in the process of attaining eternal life is developing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If he is going to move a mountain he just might want to get as many of his superstars to chip in as possible… because that service… that pulling out the spiritual shovel and moving the mountain one shovel full or one prayer at a time helps you to be like Him – saviors to poor, needy, helpless souls like I was that night. And the whole process draws us all closer to Him. Closer to that exaltation he desperately wants for us all.
Maybe that’s part of the reason why God insisted I implore you for help. So you could join with him in being our saviors and we could increase our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ together. Or maybe it was just because my family needed more strong shovelers to get that mountain moved and he knew you were some of the best shovelers on the planet.
In any case, be assured that God knows who you are. God is aware of the Bloggernacle.
Geoff,
The whole situation was very moving to me. Rest assured, it wasn’t a faith promoting experience just for your family. It was wonderous to see so many here so compassionate and willing to pray for your family (who none or few of us have ever even met). I’m grateful to have been able to be a part of the effort.
Posted by Rusty
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 7:45 am
Amen, amen.
Posted by J. Stapley
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 9:50 am
Thanks guys. I?m reminded of that saying that goes something like: ?You know your true friends better the day you meet them than you know your acquaintances after a lifetime together.? That saying rings very true to me this week. BTW ? does anyone else remember that story I quoted in the post from conference? I searched for some time but could not find it.
Posted by Geoff Johnston
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 11:18 am
“You are among the spiritual superstars of the planet.”
Yeah. Right.
Posted by Kim Siever
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 12:07 pm
I find it humbling to be described as a super hero. Thank you for your gratitude. If anything we did was any help, Geoff, you’re very welcome.
Posted by Kaimi
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 1:23 pm
What is a super hero, Kaimi, if not someone to turn to when we need a super-human feat accomplished? In this case the source of the super power is faith in God’s power instead of something like gamma rays or mutations that power the comic book super heroes. It sounds like Kim is in the Peter Parker mode of reluctant super hero. But remember Kim, “with great power comes great responsibility”. (Haven’t you noticed that Spider Man’s saying is just a paraphrase of Luke 12 and D&C 82 “For of him unto whom much is given much is required”?)
Posted by Geoff Johnston
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 2:53 pm
Geoff, thank you.
You have expressed feelings my husband and I have all the time. Many members of the church are what you describe – spiritual super heros – we just don’t see ourselves that way. President Hinckley makes it a point to remind us, each and every time he speaks, how truly wonderful we are. We doubt the Lord, his goodness and in Him, ours.
Thank you for recognizing the wonder in each of us and our inherent abilities to draw upon He who created us. Thank you.
Posted by cooper
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 3:01 pm
I’ve struggled with prayer a lot recently — you know, the old questions of how and why and whether God can change that which seems entirely unchangable.
And when I read your post, asking for our prayers, those same questions came back to mind. But with them came a gentle feeling that if I believed hard enough and prayed hard enough and had enough faith, that my one little prayer, my one little cry to the Lord might help make a difference for your son. A feeling that maybe the questions didn’t matter so much as the faith — something I’ve known intellectually for a long time, but never really felt .
Hmm. As I read over that, it almost sounds silly. Maybe it is. But I want to thank you, Geoff — thank you for asking — thank you for letting me pray for your boy.
Posted by Arwyn
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 4:55 pm
And thank you for sharing that with us Arwyn. Not silly at all.
Posted by Rusty
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 7:33 pm
Yes, I agree with Rusty, Arwyn — testimonies like yours strengthen all of our faith. And thanks to cooper for your inspiring comments as well. God seems to have an uncanny way of taking a bad situation and utilizing it to bring about all sorts of good things. (The problem Joseph had with the 116 manuscript pages that led to us getting the contents of the small plates of Nephi comes to mind.)
Posted by Geoff Johnston
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 7:46 pm
Well, geoff, thanks for asking us to pray for Quinn and for you nd your family in your time of need. And, I am very glad that Heavenly Father listened to our voices raised in prayer to Him.
Plus, even though most of us have never met you, it was a priviledge to be able to help shovel for you and your family. Would do it anytime again.
in my own life, I have had to deal with severe near death experiences, and I have been very grateful for the Brothers and Sisters in my Ward and Stake whose prayers have helped save my life.
Best wishes to you all
Posted by sid
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 8:02 pm
You know, Geoff, thanks, that was a cool topic. I was thinking tonight, as I got home from a long day tending my mother, who is in the hospital with a broken hip (she’s fine, no worries), “wonder what the guys are talking about?” (I mean the men and women, you are all guys to me, I can’t be politically correct, no chauvinism intended, just tired). There’s a sense of community, of friends, and boy, do we all need that.
I hope Heavenly Father is aware and approves.
Posted by annegb
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 10:25 pm
Nice post, Geoff. You’re title made me skeptical at first, because I’m not so sure about all the many ways that folks hypothesize about the points of contact between God and man. But what you’ve said really strikes a chord. Nicely done. First rate.
Posted by Arturo Toscanini
Comment by Anonymous — March 1, 2005 @ 11:14 pm
Thanks D… Er… Arturo. And welcome back!
Anne — Thanks for visiting here after what sounds like a long day of Christ-like service. You need not be politically correct here — I’m happy with kind thoughts and words however they come.
Sid — I appreciate your prayers and well wishes very much.
Posted by Geoff Johnston
Comment by Anonymous — March 2, 2005 @ 12:02 am