river of God’s love

A few years ago, I got a calling I didn’t feel up to. I awoke early, nervous—but with a phrase in mind I had not heard before: that to serve in this Church is to stand in the river of God’s love for His children. This Church is a work party of people with picks and shovels trying to help clear the channel for the river of God’s love to reach His children at the end of the row.

-Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus  

By Elder Robert M. Daines

Oct 2023

Mosiah 5:13

John 17:3

I like this image of wading into the river to clear a path for the water to flow. It means that you first have to wade into God’s love yourself.  

I think of playing in the dirt and later working in the garden. In both there needs to be a canal dug and kept clear for the water to flow. No matter how much I would clear the canal and make sure there weren't any sticks or leaves, bits of something always ended up falling in and plugging things up. In the world it could be social, cultural, political, substance, or habits that keeps someone from receiving God's love. Things that are hard to give up or are louder than the Spirit.

Maybe the thing blocking God's love is me. I need to clear my own canals so that I can feel God’s love for others. I experienced that this last week. Some people or groups are like cacti, prickly and hard to love. It doesn’t matter. I'm responsible for my own canals, my own choices no matter what. I just have to clear the spiritual and emotional flotsam that falls in and clogs up the river of God’s love.