The greatest expression of love from our Father in Heaven to the human family is probably the infinite atonement of the Savior. "For God so loved the world," said John, "that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16.)
The most noble expression of love by man is to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. ...
"And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matt. 22:37, 39.)
To love our neighbor is a godlike trait and can take many forms. -Loren C. Dunn, “The Gospel of Love,” Ensign (CR) October 1985
Tag Archives: love of God
Never Forget (Uchtdorf)
Sisters, there is something inspiring and sublime about the little forget-me-not flower. I hope it will be a symbol of the little things that make your lives joyful and sweet. Please never forget that you must be patient and compassionate with yourselves, that some sacrifices are better than others, that you need not wait for a golden ticket to be happy. Please never forget that the "why" of the gospel of Jesus Christ will inspire and uplift you. And never forget that your Heavenly Father knows, loves, and cherishes you. - Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Forget Me Not,” General Women’s Meeting, September 2011
He is Mindful of Us (Monson)
Brothers and sisters, I assure you that our Heavenly Father is mindful of the challenges we face in the world today. He loves each of us and will bless us as we strive to keep His commandments and seek Him through prayer. - Thomas S. Monson, “Until We Meet Again,” Ensign (CR) October 2011
Why? (Cook)
Among the most frequently asked questions of Church leaders are, Why does a just God allow bad things to happen, especially to good people? Why are those who are righteous and in the Lord's service not immune from such tragedies?
While we do not know all the answers, we do know important principles that allow us to face tragedies with faith and confidence that there is a bright future planned for each of us. Some of the most important principles are:
First, we have a Father in Heaven, who knows and loves us personally and understands our suffering perfectly.
Second, His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer, whose Atonement not only provides for salvation and exaltation but also will compensate for all the unfairness of life.
Third, the Father's plan of happiness for His children includes not only a premortal and mortal life but also an eternal life as well, including a great and glorious reunion with those we have lost. All wrongs will be righted, and we will see with perfect clarity and faultless perspective and understanding. - Quentin L. Cook, “The Songs They Could Not Sing,” Ensign (CR) October 2011
“Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers.”
There’s a country and western song by Garth Brooks called “Unanswered Prayers”. My favorite two lines of that song are: “Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers. Just because he may not answer doesn’t mean he don’t care.”
The following true story is an example of an unanswered prayer for our son, for which we are deeply grateful.
We had the blessing of seeing the Lord’s hand in our oldest son’s life on several occasions while he was serving in the military. His military experience included serving in the infantry, then as a scout, a sniper and finally as a Chinese linquist. He excelled in anything physical. He blessed with a gift for hand-eye coordination, athleticism, and a great competitive spirit. He was top in his platoon on the fitness tests.
Before becoming a sniper, he wanted to be a Ranger. To qualify for the 75th Ranger Regiment you must past The Ranger Indoctrination Program, or RIP. Some refer to RIP as “Rest In Peace” because of the grueling qualification requirements.
We could hear the excitement in his voice and we prayed he would be successful in his efforts to win the elite Ranger shoulder patch.
Two days before entering RIP, our son was wrestling in the weight room with a friend. They accidentally rolled into a weight rack and some weights fell on his ankle, causing serious injury.
He was devastated as this injury cost him the window of opportunity for RIP. When he called home, we could hear the disappointment in his voice when he said, “Why did this have to happen to me? I really wanted this!”
He later learned had he been successful in that RIP qualification test, he would been assigned to the very unit where 4 soldiers who had been training in chest-deep water in a Florida swamp, died of severely lowered body temperature on February 16, 1995.
Some things we pray for would not be right. We just don’t know it, until we do. But our Father in Heaven does know and because of His great love, wants only what’s best for us. Sometimes I thank God for answered prayers. – Grandpa Tony
3 Nephi 18:20– And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.