In his Christmas message (1997), Elder Maxwell said being in the midst of all the twinkling lights can remind us of being in the midst of our own vast Milky Way Galaxy - only one of millions of galaxies.
"Our solar system within the Milky Way Galaxy has only one sun, and yet our sun is only one of millions of like stars in our Milky Way galaxy. Thus, if each and every one of the three-quarters of a million tiny, little lights just about to be turned on, represented an entire and huge galaxy, it would still be far, far short of God's vast and stunning creations," he said.
"Consider all the divine design, including that Christmas star which shone so brightly, for it was placed by God in its precise orbit long, long before it shone - at the right time and place - to celebrate Jesus' birth," he said. "God's planning and precision thus pertain not only to astrophysical orbits but to our own individual human orbits as well.
"Like that new Christmas star, each of us has an ordained orbit, as we pass through this life." Furthermore, he said, the scriptures "ask us to be faithful lights and to shine for the glory of God."
"There are now more than 10 million members of the Church. If each of us were truly a light, how much more warm and lighted the world would be," Elder Maxwell said. "No wonder President Hinckley has asked each of us to be better and to do better."
With every twinkling light that we enjoy this season, may we remember God’s promise:
`That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth light, and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.' (D&C 50:24.)
"Let these lights shine in symbolic anticipation of the future perfect day, as well as in celebration of Jesus' birth."
(Thanks for the picture Carrie!)
1 comment:
This is FABULOUS! Thank you for sharing. I want to reread the whole talk.
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