All That He Has Given Me

There is a hymn that goes like this:

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me

Confused at the grace that so fully he profers me

I tremble to know that for me he was crucified

That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me

This weekend as I reflected on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on my behalf and on behalf of all of God's children, I truly felt "confused" as the song puts it. I don't get why the only perfect Person to live on the earth willingly suffered every bad consequence that He didn't deserve. I don't understand why He is so patient with me and why He constantly extends grace and forgiveness and hope to me. I don't get why He gave me so much and why He gives me so much. I don't get why He loves me so much with all of the times I have turned from Him and with all of the weaknesses that I have that would make anyone else annoyed or angry.

I don't get it. It is unfathomable.

But I believe that it is true.

When I have sinned and feel trapped and miserable, I think of Christ and am reminded of the fact that there is always hope. When I feel like I am out of chances and that I have utterly failed, I am reminded that because of Him, failure isn't final and my failures don't have to define me or my destiny.

Yesterday, Easter Sunday, as I partook of the Sacrament and was offered the bread to represent Christ's body, I felt so much love from my Savior. I find it amazing that He, knowing that we have sinned, invites us into His home of peace, community, covenants and rest. Most amazing to me is that practically the first thing He does is to feed me. To nurture me. To strengthen me. To heal me. To warm me.

That little crust of bread means so much to me because it is like Christ saying to me, "I know that the journey has been rough, and that you have lost your way from the path. You're hungry and tired and a bit scraped up. Let me help you and heal you, and then let's work together and I will teach you how to stay on the path and to become more like Me."

I love that. It is like the Savior nourishes me and heals me (the bread) before cleansing me (the water).

Yesterday, as I partook of that ordinance and was nourished by my Savior, I was amazed by His love.

These verses in the book of scripture called "The Doctrine and Covenants" also amaze me and remind me of the incredible love that Jesus Christ has for us and all that He, like with the bread and water of the Sacrament, extends to us.

Speaking of those who will inherit all that the Father has through the merits of Jesus Christ, it says,

"59 Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

60 And they shall overcome all things.

61 Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under his feet."

I love this. Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of the Father. Surely He is the only One who deserved to gain all that the Father has. But being perfect, and loving His Father, and loving the world, and knowing that we were all looking to Him to do what we could not, He suffered for the sins and pains of mankind, and He died. And, also for us, He rose again. He overcame death, hell, sin, and the grave.

He won. For us, and to obey His Father.

As Jeffrey R. Holland put it,

“[T]oday [Easter] we celebrate the gift of victory over every fall we have ever experienced, every sorrow we have ever known, every discouragement we have ever had, every fear we have ever faced—to say nothing of our resurrection from death and forgiveness for our sins.”

And because Christ overcame all things, and we can turn to Him and be His, like it says in Doctrine and Covenants 76:60, we “shall overcome all things.”

Glory be to God for the gift of His Son who made everything right, fair, hopeful, and possible. Hallelujah.

Thinking of all of these things reminds me of the important of verse 61 of that same chapter. We truly cannot glorify ourselves—after all, we couldn’t overcome death or sin. We couldn’t provide hope. Of ourselves, we can do nothing. So, we glory in God rather than man, who overcame and overcomes all things so that we can too.

It truly is amazing to me that God Himself suffered for the sins and pains of His own people. To the natural man or the world, that doesn’t make sense. When would a King die for His own people? But to the spirit, to my spirit, this doctrine feels beautiful and right. It teaches me my worth. It gives me amazement, wonder, confusion, and hope.

It helps me to feel my Savior’s love.

I want you to know that He loves you, too. He loves you so much that He died for you individually. I don’t understand this.

But I hope it is true.

I love my Savior. I am so grateful for His Gospel, His Atonement, His Resurrection, and His life. I am grateful that He leads and guides His Church today. I believe these things to be true. I love Him. I know Him.

He knows you. I know that He loves you. I love you.

I say these things in His name, the name of Jesus Christ, amen.