Do We Know Him At All?
Do We Know Him At All?
By Becky Watson
It was a typical Sunday morning at 8:10am; utter chaos. A mere fifteen minutes before WE-ARE-PULLING-OUT-OF-THE-DRIVEWAY-NOW, there was still hair to be done, busy bags to find, and most of breakfast scattered throughout the kitchen in various stages of completion.
I was frantically ironing a white dress shirt, shoved into my hands moments before by son #3, who moments before that had unearthed it from under his bed, where it had been balled up for a week.
“Pretty please can you iron this, Mom?” Plead plead, beg beg. Big eyes and all.
So there I was, spraying starch like a madwoman, and I can hear son #5 shouting for all the neighborhood to hear that he can’t find his shoes.
“MOM! WHERE ARE MY SHOES MOM! MOM COME HELP ME FIND MY SHOES! MOOOOOOM!”
I repeatedly yelled answered back that I was in my room ironing, but he was too busy searching (ie meandering around the house shouting) to hear my response. And then I hear his exasperated accusation:
“Where IS she? Why isn’t she helping everyone get ready?”
I felt my eyes roll from my head to my toes. Really? Where did he think I was – curled up eating chocolates watching everyone rush around?
Didn’t he know me at all?
The moment of harried bemusement passed, and soon afterward we were all piled into the car on our way to church, a picture of peace and tranquility. (With the house a shambles behind us.)
Yet the moment stuck with me. Didn’t he know me at all?
As I sat in worship that morning, the spirit helped open my eyes to a greater understanding. Too often I am meandering around my life, shouting to my Heavenly Parents for help and too busy shouting to listen for the answer. So too, I unfairly cast accusations: can’t you see how I need you? Where are you? Why aren’t you helping?
And in my mind’s eye, I see them behind the scenes, absorbed with ironing out the wrinkles I’ve created through neglect and weakness – although perhaps without the eye roll.
Don’t I know them at all?
In our restored book of scripture, the Pearl of Great Price, the Book of Moses explains: “This is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39) That is ALL He does. That is ALL He thinks about. Our eternal life – eternal joy – eternal glory.
I think the key word is “know.” I rolled my eyes at my sweet son #5 because I felt that I had proved to him, time and again in his nine years of life, that I was dedicated to help get my children ready for church. In all those Sundays together, I had never once sat on my bum eating chocolates watching everyone get ready. I felt he should know my character: as an involved mother, as someone who helps.
When I find myself doubting if Heavenly Father is really helping me, what I’m really doubting is His character. And I doubt His character when I stop trying to “know” Him.
So how do you get to know a divine Being? By learning what He’s done – through scripture, and by observing His hand in your own life.
The Bible Dictionary elaborates:
Latter-day revelation confirms the biblical account of God as the literal father of the human family, as a being who is concerned for the welfare of mankind and a Personage who hears and answers prayers.
I testify that God is not some primordial force of nature that created us only to abandon us. He is intricately involved in the details of our lives… much like my calendar is color coded by child so that I can know where each of my children are at a given time of day, He knows. He knows because He cares. And He cares because He is our Father.
I testify that God is helping you, even if you can’t see Him. He never.stops.working. For your eternal glory.
