Monday, February 25, 2013
The Healing Power of the Priesthood
I was a freshman in college returning home from my date when I saw the power of the Priesthood in a way I never had before. Another couple was with us; and we were all saying our goodbyes in the parking lot, when we saw a girl stumbling towards us. As she got closer, I rushed to her and realized I knew her from my dorms and that she was in serious trouble. She was crying hysterically saying she wanted to take her life. No matter what we said or did we could not calm her down.
After hugging her, praying for her, and talking with her for about 15 minutes, we were still unable to calm her soul. Finally, my friend's date placed his hands upon her head and gave her a priesthood blessing. Immediately after the blessing started, we could feel her body and her spirit calm down... letting go.
I felt such gratitude for this young man in his early 20's who had the priesthood and was ready to use it at this crucial moment when this young college girl needed it most. My date did not have the priesthood, and I wished he did. I made a decision at that very moment that I would date and marry a man who would be able to administer blessings from God to me and our children.
Priesthood blessings have always calmed my heart when it has been full of stress. They have also always been the source of great healing in our family. Just this weekend, my husband was able to give our son a priesthood blessing for his health. I'm grateful that Abe is always willing and worthy to do so.
Last year, I was serving as the president over the young women in our congregation; and one particular day, I felt especially overwhelmed. So many things weighed on my heart: I felt inadequate as the president, inadequate as a wife, and inadequate as a mother.
At that moment, I just needed to feel my Heavenly Father's love. . I knew HE loved me, so I knelt down to pray and ask God to help me to feel that love. I stayed there for a few minutes, and I felt nothing different. Feeling disappointed, impatient, stressed, anxious, and hurt, I stood up and went on with my duties. There was no time to wait any longer.
That night, I was to meet with a member of our bishopric to let him know how things were going in my calling as president; it's called a stewardship interview. I began to talk about the needs of the girls when all of a sudden he stopped me and said, "This may sound strange, but I believe we need to talk about you instead this evening. Are you OK? Would it be ok if I gave you a blessing?"
Unable to speak, I nodded my head. I knew if I spoke, I would cry. How did he know I needed help? Knowing absolutely nothing of my prayer earlier that day, this righteous priesthood holder placed his hands upon my head and these are the first words he spoke : "Rachel, your Heavenly Father loves you very much, and HE wants you to feel of HIS love for you."
My body trembled and tears poured from my eyes. I opened my heart, and I felt HIS love stronger than I can even write. It was strengthening and weakening at the same time. Every bit of me knew and felt that I was loved. I don't believe that Heavenly Father was ever withholding that love from me. I believe it was me that had closed off my ability to feel HIS love because of my anxiety to receive it.
I'm grateful for every opportunity I have to better learn how to let go of stress, anxiety, and doubts because those things impede us all from receiving deeper revelation and peace from God.
I'm also grateful for the power of the priesthood. I know that the priesthood is given by the laying on of hands, and it is the power to act in Christ's name.
I am grateful for the miracles that come from priesthood blessings.
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I’m glad you found a husband who was worthy for you. I was always told I was too picky in my dating, but I’m sure glad I was because ended up with the right man for me.
ReplyDeleteIt is always a comfort to pray to God and have others pray for us. I learned in my Bible study this week that even though God promised Isaac and child, Isaac still prayed for a child. It makes me think of the Christian author C. S. Lewis’ quote, “ I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God, it changes me. “
I love reading in the Bible about priests in the Old Testament and their role as followers of God. The priests were responsible for making intercession to God for the people by offering the many sacrifices that the law required. Among the priests, one was selected as the High Priest, and he entered into the Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement to place the blood of the sacrifice on the Ark of the Covenant “but into the second only the high priest goes, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people” Hebrew 9:7 By these daily and yearly sacrifices, the sins of the people were temporarily covered until the Messiah came to take away their sins.
Like the Levitical priests, Jesus offered a sacrifice to satisfy the Law of God when He offered Himself for our sins “He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins & then for those of the people, since he did this once for all people, when He offered up Himself (on the cross).” Hebrew 7:27-28. Unlike the Levitical priests, who had to continually offer sacrifices, Jesus only had to offer His sacrifice once, gaining eternal redemption for all who come to God through Him. Every priest is appointed from among men, but Jesus is appointed by God. Jesus, became a man in order to suffer death and serve as our High Priest “…that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Hebrews 2:9. As a man, He was subject to all the weaknesses and temptations that we are, so that He could personally relate to us in our struggles “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrew 4:15. Jesus is greater than any other earthly priest, so He is called our “Great High Priest” in Hebrew 4:14. I’m so happy that He is my priest, my Great High Priest. It gives me the boldness to come “unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:16. What a wonderful and mighty God!!!
Thank you Cristee for taking the time to leave a comment with so much thought and depth. I love your quotes from C. S. Lewis and especially from the Bible as well. It sounds like you have a wonderful Bible study! Agreed... What a wonderful and mighty God! I am so very grateful for HIS grace and mercy.
DeleteThank you for this post. As always, you were able to capture an asepct of life that holds untold miracles in the lives of countless children of God. When I was growing up, my father was not able to hold the priesthood. While I had to rely on the good brethern of the church for my blessings - and I most definitely still felt the love and healing from the Lord - I vowed to marry a man who not only could hold the priesthood in a worthy manner, but who would use it. Each year, our children receive blessings from their father at the start of the school year and of course, at other times when they are sick. But sometimes the most amazing thing is to watch a child, exercise the true and trusting faith to seek the healing nature of a priesthood blessing. What a wonderful glimpse into the heart of our Father in Heaven when we witness miracles being enacted in His name and through His authority.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your testimony and insight. It is amazing what pure testimony does for a soul. You confirmed something that I already believed; yet hearing your perspective, imprinted that testimony on my soul even deeper. Thank you!
DeleteThat is so sad that your father couldn't fulfill that for you. I am so happy that that both my mom and dad were able to pray for me and over me throughout my growing up years and that God provided and provides so many blessing to me as only He can do. For someone to step in that role for you father had to of been nice for you.
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