for the people around me. To serve. To contribute.”
You are not an accident, you are not a mistake. You are created from a
Divine intention and purpose because you have a part to play – a part that
matters, and that is vital. Think about the example the Lord gives us of the
human body – all of these different parts. They are so very different but work
and function together as one.
What if I were to ask you which part you would be willing to give up? Can
I have your hand, take your liver? Which one are you ready to give up? We are
kind of attached to all of them. We like them. We find they are useful.
And you are created to be free, to have choice. All kinds of blessings and
opportunities are not going to just fall into your lap. You have to use your free
will. You have to make choices. You have to summon up somewhere within
yourself that drive – to discover your passion, to discover who you are and
then you have to learn about it. And then practice, and practice some more,
and then some more.
Well, Charter Day is a celebration of obtaining, and being granted the
right, as an institution, to help you, and many who have come before you,
and many who will come after you, to realize their dreams and pursue their
calling. And hopefully, like in the story of Jacob, those dreams will draw their
inspiration from something higher, something that considers the greater good.
In that story think of the angels ascending. We might say, “What good,
Lord, are you asking of me?” As we go about our life, “What is it that I can do?”
Those angels ascending.
Then think of those angels descending: listening for that guidance, for
those messages or inspiration from
above. They can send you up as high
as you are willing to go in finding
value, and finding meaning, usefulness
and eternal happiness. And we are
not talking about in some far distant
future, but now – today and every day.
That is a pretty amazing thing.
Think back to that flight analogy
for a moment. What is the part of the
flight that everyone ignores? It’s the
instructions on safety. “Yeah, yeah,
I’ve heard that all before.” In one
sense I think of spiritual and religious
instruction being about our safety –
about our comfort and happiness. Just
like on the airplane, a lot of people
Charter Day is a
celebration of obtaining,
and being granted the
right, as an institution,
to help you, and many
who have come before
you, and many who
will come after you, to
realize their dreams and
pursue their calling.
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