Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Pivotal Moments

                                                        Me with Michael Wilcox

I saw Michael Wilcox speak a few years ago at a Time Out For Women (for more info on the conference click here). I have read some of his books and enjoyed his presentation. I really wanted to meet him, but was too shy to walk up to him. 

This past TOFW he was a presenter again. Oh, how I have grown the last few years. I flagged him down and ran to him when I saw he was leaving on Friday night. He was in a hurry and said he would look for me the next day to talk to me more. When I saw him on Saturday he remembered me and we spoke. He autographed his book and gave some friendly advice to an aspiring writer and speaker. 

What really stuck with me (besides his height :) was his presentation. He re-told the story of Christ showing himself to Mary Magdalene in the sepulcher. When Mary, Peter and John went to Christ's sepulcher they saw it was empty. Peter and John turned around and went home, but Mary stayed and cried outside. Then she stooped down and looked inside to find two angels sitting. They asked her why she was crying and she said because she did not know where they had taken her Lord. She then turned around to leave and saw Jesus standing there. She did not know Him to be Jesus. She thought He was a gardener. He asked why she was weeping and she told him that she wanted to know where Jesus was taken. 

"Jesus saith unto her, Mary." (John 20:16) And this is the part that I love how Michael Wilcox explained; she turned herself.  The instant Mary heard Jesus say her name she knew who He was. The tone, the love in Him saying her name. She recognized, she knew it. I love how the scriptures do not say "she turned" but "she turned herself". That is the pivotal moment. Literally. She must have been casually speaking with the "gardener", but once she knew it was her Redeemer she turned herself to see Him. It was a conscious, physical act of turning oneself. 

I love this part too; she said unto him "Rabboni; which is to say, Master." (John 20:17) It must have been such a beautiful moment. In one moment and in one word her worry and distraught was over. In one moment she felt peace and love. 

I truly believe we all have these pivotal moments in our lives. The first question I ask myself is: Do I recognize them when they come? If Mary did not have such a strong testimony,faith and love for the Savior would she have recognized Him when he spoke her name? I think not. It was because of her faith that she knew who He was. The second question I ask myself is: If I do recognize the pivotal moment how do I respond? Mary understood down to her spirit the role of Christ. She knew and therefore called him Master.  

These beautiful moments in life. Life changing, pivotal times take action. A turning towards the Savior, a response of respect, a willing heart. I love that I have the gospel. I love that I have the Holy Ghost to guide me. I know I can not go go wrong as long as I remember Him. Even in the face of temptation, even in heartache, even with the pain in this mortal body I can make it through. 

2 comments: