Scripture Blog

This weblog is my personal online scripture journal. I try to read the scriptures each morning as I exercise on my cross-trainer. It has a great impact on my life and my testimony of the Savior and his restored church. The journal is really for my own benefit but I have set it up as a web log in hopes to benefit anyone else that may be interested. "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost..." 1 Nephi 10:19

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

D&C 59

As the very beginning of gathering in Zion, the Lord instructed -

"...that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;
10 For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High..."  (Doctrine and Covenants
Section 59:9 - 10)
 
What are these "sacraments" that the saints were to offer?  The Lord again instructs -
 
"...remember that on this, the Lord's day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord."  (Doctrine and Covenants Section 59:12)
 
A footnote on the word "oblations" provides the definition -
 
"offerings, whether of time, talents, or means, in service of God and fellowman"  (Doctrine and Covenants:Section 59:12)
 
So in addition to the offering of a broken heart and contrite spirits, the Lord considers our oblations on His day a sacrament.  Isn't the sabbath a wonderful day to offer our time, talents, and service to the Lord.  We do this as we teach, preach, visit, exhort, and testify.  In a commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, we read -
 
"On the Sabbath, the Saints should be in the house of prayer and offer up their 'sacraments'; that is, present their devotions before the Lord, in the form of songs of praise, prayer and thanksgiving, testimonies, partaking of the Sacrament, and contemplation of the Word of God. All this is meant by the word 'sacrament,' which, in its widest range, stands for any sacred rite or ceremony whereby we affirm our allegiance to our divine Lord." (Smith and Sjodahl, DCC, p. 351)