Trying To Be More Like Jesus
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When the Christmas season began in December, I pondered once again the birth and divine mission of Jesus Christ. Everything about our Savior’s life was miraculous—from his holy birth to his magnificent resurrection. My desire this year is to become more like Him and to build a better life by using Him as my one sure foundation. I want the true meaning of Christmas to linger with me, day after day, week after week, month after month, throughout the whole year.
When I read the article, “Jesus Christ—Our Firm Foundation” by Donald L. Hallstrom, I gained new insights on how I can build a spiritually strong foundation through “vision, commitment, and self-discipline.” I hope you will enjoy reading an excerpt from this article and make this Christmas a time of recommitment and renewal by building a firm foundation for the future. I also hope you will read the lyrics, or listen to the hymn, “How Firm a Foundation,” which is after this excerpt. Click here for a link for the “Christmas Devotional.”
Jesus Christ—Our Firm Foundation
The Importance of a Foundation
Paul spoke of apostles and prophets as the foundation of the Church, with “Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20). This is not new doctrine. In one form or another, all of us understand it. Why, then, is it so difficult for many of us to live it?
Well, simply stated, it needs to get from our minds to our hearts and to our souls. It needs to be more than what we sometimes think or even what we sometimes feel—it must become who we are. Our connection with God the Father and His eternal plan, and with Jesus Christ, His Son and our Rock, needs to be so firmly established that it truly becomes the cornerstone of our foundation. Our identity then becomes first that of an eternal being—a son or a daughter of God—and of a grateful receiver of the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Building a Spiritual Foundation
The effort of building and maintaining a spiritual foundation is not easy. The construction process is a significant undertaking, and maintenance is a lifetime effort.
For you who are really trying, we sincerely commend you. If you have never had the foundation we speak of, or through neglect have let it crack or crumble, it is not too late to put on a hard hat and go to work. All the tools you need to build, repair, or strengthen your foundation are available to you. These are the same tools used to maintain an established foundation. You know what they are. They include consistent, quality prayer; daily gospel study through the scriptures…
Principles of Building a Foundation
To build and maintain a foundation, remember three principles: vision, commitment, and self-discipline.
Vision is the ability to see. In a gospel context, we sometimes call this “eternal perspective.”
Commitment is the willingness to make a promise. We often call these promises covenants. In addition to making covenants with God, we should be willing to make commitments to ourselves, to spouses (or to become a spouse), to friends, and to those with whom we serve.
Self-discipline can be defined as the ability to live consistently with our vision and commitments. Developing self-discipline is essential to progress because it seamlessly connects learning and doing. Ultimately, the strength of our spiritual foundation is shown by how we live our lives, especially in times of disappointment and challenge.
Possessing a firm foundation is the ultimate protection from the buffetings of the world.
How Firm a Foundation
The hymn, “How Firm a Foundation,” has always been a favorite of my wonderful husband David. During a difficult time in his life, he memorized and sang all seven verses of this hymn on a daily basis to keep himself going through “deep waters,” as is stated in the 4th verse. I learned to appreciate this hymn from his courageous example of continually going forward with faith. I was deeply touched, and somewhat surprised, when I first heard the words to verse 7:
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!
What a strong ending to an already powerful song! As the lyrics say, “I’ll never, no never, no never forsake” my Jesus. He is my divine Savior. He is my consistent friend. He is my firm foundation!
How Firm a Foundation
1.
How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
Who unto the Savior, who unto the Savior,
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?
2.
In ev’ry condition—in sickness, in health,
In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—
As thy days may demand, as thy days may demand,
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.
3.
Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
4.
When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee, and sanctify to thee,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
5.
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, thy dross to consume,
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
6.
E’en down to old age, all my people shall prove
My sov’reign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And then, when gray hair shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs shall they still, like lambs shall they still,
Like lambs shall they still in my bosom be borne.
7.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!
If you haven’t already listened to this year’s “Christmas Devotional,” which was presented on December 5, 2021, by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe you will enjoy it.
