HE

I have what many people would say is a very narrow range when it comes to my musical likes. I definitely am drawn to soothing soft sound and eschew harsh and noisy sounds. Other than with my grandchildren I am seldom critical or argumentative about the types of music others prefer and most of the time I am grateful that they treat me with the same kindness.

When I was young, other than the hymns at church and the traditional Christmas songs, my world was seldom affected by music. However, I do remember when I played and was the singing cowboy as a very young boy. I am sure Gene Autry was the influence for that brief period of my musical ambitions.

There were times when I would hear some soothing sounds with an accompanying lyrical message which would hum to my psyche and I would be moved and listen whenever it was being played somewhere I was present.

One such song was ‘He’. I am almost positive it was Pat Boone’s version of the song which I first heard. Later the Lettermen did a marvelous rendition. I apologize to all who are reading this Thought who will now have to search the internet to learn who all these ancients I have mentioned were.

HE

He can turn the tides
And calm the angry sea
He alone decides
Who writes a symphony

He lights every star
That makes our darkness bright
He keeps watch all through
Each long and lonely night

He still finds the time
To hear a child's first prayer
Saint or sinner call
And always find Him there

Though it makes Him sad
To see the way we live
He'll always say
"I forgive"

He can grant a wish
Or make a dream come true
He can paint the clouds
And turn the gray to blue

He alone knows where
To find a rainbow's end
He alone can see
What lies beyond the bend

He can touch a tree
And turn the leaves to gold
He knows every lie
That you and I have told

Though it makes Him sad
To see the way we live
He'll always say
"I forgive"

I don't want to mislead you into thinking I was anything but a very average young man when it came to my level of spirituality, but there is no doubt that this tribute to our Savior magnified in my mind the multitudiness things Jesus the Christ does for each of us in our lives.

As the years of my life have multiplied and morphed into almost eight decades, my feelings for and dependence on the Son of God have become more and more a part of my being. I have probably been very negligent in not sitting down and making an exhaustive list of what HE has become to me.

With this Thought I hope to at least partially rectify that fault with this writing.

HE – taught me the Eternal Plan of the Father as I sorted through the adversaries philosophy during my pre-mortal estate.

HE – created this beautiful world where I would be able find joy and happiness during the mortal probationary period of my existence.

HE – led and directed my forefathers and helped them find the truth as taught by His prophets.

HE – came to mortality and became the perfect example of what the potential of mankind really is.

HE – taught the principles of universal familial love which are essential for finding everlasting joy.

HE – gave His life so that all might come forth as resurrected beings.

HE – mercifully paid the price for those sins which I have been willing to put out of my life.

HE – restored the principles of the gospel hidden by man’s blindness and rejection of His revelations.

HE – restored the Priesthood which enabled the ordinances of salvation to be performed in righteousness on the earth.

HE – inculcated His word unto me through the power of inspired interventions.

HE – has made me a witness that he will yet renew this earth to its Paradisiacal Glory where my descendants will dwell with Him in peace and love.

HE – has protected my life as I have put it foolishly in harm’s way.

HE – has enlightened my mind to the remembrance of knowledge and understanding which I learned at the Father’s knee, but in the darkness of the world became unknown.

HE – has turned me to paths I was too blind to know I should be walking upon.

HE – has blessed me with stewardships which have edified and strengthened me.

HE – has allowed me to have relationships with great and noble souls who constantly lift me.

HE – has provided all that is necessary to return to Father’s presence if I obey.

And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, what have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

And Jesus asked him, saying, what is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils: were entered into him. (Luke 8: 26 -30)

It is extremely interesting that notwithstanding the knowledge these devils had that they were in the presence of Jesus, the Son of God Most High, they wanted nothing to do with Him. How sad it is, when with all that we know of Him and what He has done for us, we so very often want nothing to do with Him.

I pray that we will be wise and declare, ‘Jesus’, we want everything to do with thee, ‘for thou art HE’.

THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY