The Key to Seeing Christ

Joseph J. Dewey posted the following observations on Facebook. I don't know to whom to attribute these words, other than to him (and God, for they are revelatory to me).

***

THE KEY TO MANIFESTATION

There are two approaches to seeking entrance into the highest spiritual realms. One that is popular these days in the LDS remnant movement is to seek some sort of personal visitation from Jesus as a sign their calling and election is sure.

If this approach has, as its main intent to receive a sign, then the seeker may be entering a problem area and be in danger of illusion. After all, Jesus spoke these words:

“A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.” (Matt 16:4)

When Joseph Smith had his first vision he was not seeking any sign, but merely asking for greater knowledge.

The seeking of greater knowledge is the real key to true spiritual manifestations, void of deception. After all, Joseph said that “a man is saved no faster than he gains knowledge.”

Jesus gave an important key that needs to guide the true servant. He said:

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 

“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.” (Matt 24:42-47)

The word “watch” here comes from the Greek GRĒGOREŌ, which literally means to “rouse yourself from sleep, or to be awake or aware.”

The accepted servant therefore must be eternally vigilant and seek to serve his fellow men and his God. And what should be his attitude?

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matt 16:24-25)

Seeking a sign that you will be exalted in heaven is seeking to save your eternal life. Of course we all want that as well as to continue our physical life, but one who truly wants to be one with Christ and an accepted servant must not put saving himself first. He must put all things out of his mind except for serving his Lord, which in turn means serving his fellow men and women.

This quote gives the attitude required:

“If you follow the highest you know there will come a time when you will be visited by a Presence, either visible or invisible. It will come at a time that you least expect it and a time when perhaps you feel the least prepared spiritually, but it will come. 

“To dream and wish for the experience will only delay the happening. But if you take the highest you know and go forward in the vineyard of the Master and serve with no end in sight, in season and out of season, in good times and bad. If you serve with love in the dark of night with the same strength as in the light of day, if you continue with loving service through the fiery darts of hate, malice and betrayal and above all if it appears that even your Master and your God seem to completely ignore you as if you do not exist... 

“Through all this you will continue to serve with the highest you know. You continue even if God himself seems to be your enemy putting every obstacle possible in your path and laughing at you as you stumble and fall. You rise up and continue. The time comes that it will not seem to matter to you any more if friends, God or the Masters approve of you or not. It matters not if you are some great chosen one or are looked upon by the Master as the least and most needy of the brethren. You will now serve for the sake of selfless love alone because the need is out there and you sense the need. 

“When this stage is reached in your being one of the Great Ones will take notice and speak: 'Behold, the servant! He has become as one of us. Let us invite him into the circle of higher friendship, brotherhood and service.' 

“But even here the invitation comes not as you expected. All your expectations are shattered and soon replaced by newer ones and the groping in the dark is replaced by walking the path with vision. The reward for your selfless service is sight and as you see the path ahead your heart is filled with joy for that which you see is not what you imagined, but more than you imagined.”

This gift to the servant is best described in this scripture:

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3:20)

How this promise is fulfilled will be revealed in a powerful manner to those who are prepared to lose their life in service as guided by the Spirit.

***

After the foregoing was posted on Facebook, my friend Mike Forrest made this wry (but doubt-inducing) observation, demonstrating there must always be two, competing, even contradictory "narratives" or "choices" to embrace, in other words, opposition in all things:

"I wonder if Enos was aware of these philanthropic requirements before he went hunting for wild beasts."

I replied:

"Interesting juxtaposition of "contraindicating" data. Pbbbst! Now I'm frustrated again. (You devil!)"

But Mike Jensen chimed in:

"Signs come after trials of faith. Like Moroni, I find it sad that greater manifestations, revelations, angel support seen or unseen, 2nd Comforter dealings, C&E's, throne experiences, etc are not more common."

That led me to conclude:

"Perhaps when a 'critical mass' of those experiencing these things arises, Mike -- or even when just one (like Joseph Smith) takes us 'into the woods', as it were, and kneels down with us and REASSURES us that IT WILL HAPPEN TODAY, then we -- like the blind man, feeling the Savior's own spittle mixed with dirt, making mud, and having it applied to our darkened eyes -- will begin to believe with sufficient faith (not unlike not-disbelieving Enos, who BELIEVED his father's witness!) to move the heavens to act on our behalf!

"For the just shall live by faith...and the faithful shall be just."