The Promise of His Presence, Part 1: "Every Soul"

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Over the past few months, this blog has focused its attention on a prophet-declared method of entering the presence of the Lord: Meditation.

We've discussed how to tune out the world -- and tune in to God -- by pondering the word of God...an act which by itself can part the veil.  One method by which we can use the scriptures to part the veil is by visualizing the scenes articulated in them.

Find your own sacred grove.  Enjoy it at a time when you feel peace.  There, you can more easily calm your body, still your mind and you lose yourself.

I've given quite a bit of time in between my past posts so you could have more time to experiment on these concepts and gain a testimony of them.  I myself have such a testimony, for as I have pondered the scriptures, the veil has parted for me, allowing me to see my Savior tenderly, compassionately ministering to others, motivating me to do the same in my life.  As I have meditated, I have succeeded in dispelling telestial tendencies and worldly inclinations.

And now...we move forward

Having now passed into the presence of the Lord (through the peace and selflessness of meditation), we next prepare ourselves to enjoy and seek fulfillment and enlightenment within the presence of the Lord.

Many people believe that prayer is sufficient, it's all we ever need, to enjoy the Lord's presence in our lives.  And yes, it can help us enjoy the Lord's divine presence.

However, I believe the Lord wants you to aim higher, reach farther and attain greater...to not just speak with him, but to rend the heavens, pierce the veil, see the visions of eternity and greater.

Your Promise of His Literal Presence in Your Mortal Life

Can you imagine the joy the Lord must feel when we come to Him with the tender faith of a little child and accept the love he has for each of us? He wants us to come to Him and has promised that He will be there to welcome us. In the Doctrine and Covenants he has said,

“Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you” (D&C 88:63)

This is our invitation from our Father in Heaven to share in the wondrous blessings he has in store for us. He then gives explicit directions on how we can find him:

“Seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” (D&C 88:63)

Then he said:

“Sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.” (D&C 88:68)

Sanctify means to make sacred or holy — to make free from sin, to purify. This we do to be in tune with his Spirit.

The Lord has combined all these doctrines into an outline, the steps we should follow to draw near unto him.  It is a promise so profound, so wonderful, that our mortal minds may have a tough time believing it.  Still, the Lord is not one to make hollow promises; we are wise to take him at his word, at face value.

Here now, by his own mouth, is a promise he has made to you:

“Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am.” (D&C 93:1)

The Fine Print?

The Lord didn't say "after you die".  No.  He placed no limitations as to when such an event could occur.  In fact, Spencer W. Kimball once stated that those

"who know God and love him and live his commandments and obey his true ordinances may yet in this life, or the life to come, see his face and know that he lives (D&C 93:1) and will commune with them." (Spencer W. Kimball, "For They Shall See God", Ensign, May 1964 p. 94).

The Lord didn't say "only apostles and prophets", "only church general authorities", "only priesthood holders", "only church members who have faithfully served in major leadership positions for decades", "only church members are married and sealed to a faithful, soon-to-be-translated spouse" or even "only church members".  Did you see any qualifiers in that verse?  No.  He simply said "every soul".

The Lord didn't say you "shall see dead ancestors" or "shall entertain angels", although such events are possible.  No.  He said you "shall see my face."

The Lord didn't say you "shall believe" or "shall rely on the testimony of others."  No.  The implication is that every soul -- including you -- shall know that he lives.

With respect to that last note, Isaiah had a word or two to say about the righteous in the latter days who would know the Lord:

"Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I." (Isaiah 52:6)