Wednesday, July 4, 2012

"Because He could handle them."

Can He handle me?

From: Wilford Woodruff: Humble Reliance on God  
(The quotes are not all in order.. but were my favorites this morning.)
Although President Woodruff was surprised at his callings in the Church, he knew why the Lord had called him. He observed: “Why did the Lord choose such a weak man as Wilford Woodruff to preside over His Church? Why did He choose Joseph Smith—an illiterate boy, as he was called? Why has He chosen that class of men? Because He could handle them. He has chosen men that will acknowledge the hand of God.”
“I thank the Lord for my life. I thank Him for His blessings and mercies to me. I have reason to rejoice in this, and I am obliged to give God the glory for all I have ever received. If I have ever done any good; if I have been able to preach the Gospel and to pursue a course whereby I have edified my fellow man, at home or abroad, it has been by the power of God."

"I am entirely dependent upon the Lord. I always have been during my life, and in my travels and pilgrimages..." 
"You have never seen a day, you never will see a day, in time or in eternity, when you can get beyond the need of the protection and care of God. You need it all the way through your lives. When our young men, or our old men, or our maidens, feel that they have arrived at a point that they are independent of the Lord, they will find that they are greatly mistaken."
"There have been two powers at work—one to destroy me, the other to save me. And I am here today, a weak instrument in the hands of God. But, as God lives, if He will tell me what my duty is, I am going to do it!"

"… I pray God to give us wisdom, and to help us to be humble, faithful, meek and lowly of heart."
Am I entirely dependent upon the Lord?
If He will tell me what my duties are, will I do them?
Can He handle me?

President Uchtdorf pinned me right by saying, "Every mortal has at least a casual if not intimate relationship with the sin of pride."

So the battle rages to sever such a relationship. God is good.

**Wilford Woodruff, is one of my life heros. One of the best books I have ever read was his, "Leaves From My Journal".