Sunday, March 7, 2010

What is the motivation

John 6: "Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed."

The other day I was reading in the Gospel of John about the miracle of the Loaves and Fish. I love this verse after that when Christ calls them out on their motivation. He tells them that he doesn't think they are there for him or for the Gospel but rather for the food. How sad would that be? To be in the presence of Christ and have him say, "I know you are only here for the food." Or more appropriate for some, "I know you are only here for the social aspect or to look good to others." It made me really wonder, what are my motivations for going to church? or even why I am I a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?
I know that I have felt the whispering of the Spirit tell me of the truth or Christ's gospel and specifically the Gospel restored to the earth by Joseph Smith. I know that the reason I go to Church is to worship, but on some days I do find I forget that and I start to let other motivation drive me. I am grateful for these verses where I am reminded to keep my motivations for church attendance to be about the miracle or the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am truly amazed and grateful for my Savior and his Atonement. I know that because of that Atonement I can be cleansed of my sins and have everlasting life. I know that Joseph Smith restored the fullness of the Gospel in these latter days, that we might be able to employ all the power of the Atonement in out lives. I will make my resolve to keep these things in mind from now on as I go to church and remember the "meat that endureth unto everlasting life."

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