"Strengthening Your Relationship With Your Heavenly Father"Some time ago in South America, a small group of outstanding missionaries was asked, "What is the greatest need in the word?" One wisely responded, "Is not the greatest need in all the world for every person to have a personal, ongoing, daily continuing relationship with Deity?" Having such a relationship can unchain the divinity within us, and nothing can make a greater difference in our lives as we come to know and understand our divine relationship with God and His Beloved Son, our Master. As Jesus said in the great Intercessory Prayer, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3)
(President James E. Faust)
President Faust gives five beginning, essential measures that will greatly clear the channel for a daily flow of "living water" from the very source of the spring (see John 4:7-15).
First, a daily communion involving prayer. A fervent, sincere prayer is a two-way communication that will do much to bring the Spirit flowing like healing water to help with the trials, hardships, aches, and pains we all face. What is the quality of our secret prayers? As we pray, we should think of our Heavenly Father as being close by; full of knowledge, understanding, love, and compassion; the essence of power; and having great expectations of each of us.
Second, a daily selfless service to another. The followers of the divine Christ have to be weighed on the scales of what their actions are rather than on solemn professions of belief. The true measure is found in Matthew: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these … , ye have done it unto me” (
Matt. 25:40). A wise man observed, “The man who lives by himself and for himself is apt to be corrupted by the company he keeps” (Charles Henry Parkhurst, quoted in
The International Dictionary of Thoughts [1969], 659).
Third, a daily striving for an increased obedience and perfection in our lives. “What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am,” said the Savior (
3 Ne. 27:27). Because of the perfect Atonement of Jesus, we may be made perfect (see
D&C 76:69).
Fourth, a daily acknowledgment of His divinity. To have a daily, personal relationship with the Master, we must be His disciples. “For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?” (
Mosiah 5:13).
Fifth, a daily study of the scriptures. President Spencer W. Kimball said: “I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns” (
The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 135).
Sources used to plan this lesson:
- "That We Might Know Thee" James E. Faust, Ensign, Jan 1999
- Feb 1999 Visiting Teaching message "God Speaks to His Children Through Personal Revelation"
- "Pray Always" Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, Oct 1981
- "Be a Friend to the Savior" Robert E. Well, Friend, Feb 1988
- "Believing Christ" Stephen E. Robinson, Ensign, Apr 1992
- "The Love of God" Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Ensign, Nov 2009
- "Living by Scriptural Guidance" Russel M. Nelson, Ensign, Nov 2000
