The Importance of Rest in the Savior's Ministry

"Come Unto Me and I Will Give You Rest" by Yongsung Kim

We live in a busy time of the world. It is easy to be overwhelmed with work assignments, church callings, family responsibilities, and the unending to-do lists that accompany our lives. The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches that we should both "be anxiously engaged in a good cause... [doing] many things of [our] own free will" (D&C 58:27) and "not run faster or labor more than [we] have strength and means provided" (D&C 10:4). While these principles appear to be in conflict, we can learn how to apply both approaches in our lives as we study the example of Jesus Christ.

It is fair to say that Jesus had a few things on his to-do list. He was a teacher, missionary, and ecclesiastical leader called to preach the pure gospel to large multitudes and hard-hearted government leaders. He was training and preparing a group of mostly fishermen to lead an organization that would stretch from Italy to Israel and beyond. He sought to do His Father's will, inspire the faith of the Jewish nation, and live so that he could be the promised savior when the time came. Amid the hustle, he was also part of a family, had relationships with several friends, served the poor and needy, and participated in the traditions of his people. Jesus understands what it is like to be busy and to juggle priorities that are all important.

Yet, the Lord of the Sabbath, who rested on the seventh day of creation, also frequently withdrew from the busy-ness of life to rest, prepare for what was ahead, spend quality time with loved ones, and commune with our Heavenly Father. He understood what sounds obvious: that we get more strength through appropriate rest.

At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus "was led up of the Spirit, into the wilderness, to be with God" (JST Matthew 4:1). There he fasted for forty days, a number that is symbolic in Hebrew culture for a period of preparation. After he had fasted and communed with God, he returned to normal life and the temptations and challenges it brings. Jesus was tempted by the devil himself, but he was prepared to withstand all of the buffetings of Satan and command him to depart.

Jesus returned from the wilderness and taught in Galilee, Nazareth, and Capernaum. He cast out devils and healed many people of a variety of inflictions. The scriptures do not say exactly how much time passed from the start of his ministry to an evening in Capernaum when he healed all who would come to him, but we're in the same chapter when we read that Christ then "departed and went into a solitary place" (Luke 4:42).

Christ taught again in the synagogues in Galilee and was teaching a group of people on the banks of the Sea of Galilee when he found Peter, James, and John and filled their nets with fish. They went with Jesus to Capernaum where he healed a man's leprosy and "great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed." (Luke 5:15-16).

Jesus returned to his work and healed a man of his paralysis, called Matthew to follow him, and confronted and taught the Pharisees several times. When he provocatively healed a man's withered hand on the Sabbath in front of the Pharisees, they were "filled with madness" (Luke 6:11). "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom he named apostles" (Luke 6:12-13).

This pattern continues throughout the ministry of Christ: he was present and focused on what needed to be done and then he took time to withdraw and rest. Sometimes he rested for only an afternoon or a long night in prayer; other times he withdrew for a period of several weeks. In each case, his focus was less on protecting himself or his perceived needs and more on building capacity to move forward.

As it is with us, Jesus' plans for rest did not always go as planned. When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been killed, he got on a boat and left Capernaum to be alone in the wilderness. The multitudes followed him on foot and met him on the opposite shore about five miles from the city. Despite his grief, Christ had patience and compassion for the people and took the time to teach them and miraculously feed five thousand of them with a few loaves of bread. Then he "straightway...constrained" his disciples to leave in the boat and sent the multitudes back to the city.

"And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone" (Matthew 14:22-23). It was from this vantage point that Jesus saw his disciples desperately rowing against the wind and being tossed upon the waves of the sea. Cutting his time to grieve and recharge short, he went down from the mountain and walked about four miles across the sea to get to his struggling followers. Reaching the boat between 3:00 and 6:00 in the morning, Jesus invited Peter onto the water, saved him when his faith wavered, then calmed the storm so they could all return home. There is no indication in scripture that Christ was able to go back to the mountain, but he did the best he could with the time he had and then moved on to other demands for his time.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were friends of Jesus in Bethany, also called Bethlehem, about two miles south of Jerusalem. They were close friends and Jesus wept when he heard Lazarus had died (John 11:35). After Jesus publicly brought Lazarus back to life and knew the Jewish rulers were furiously plotting to kill him for it, he escaped to the wilderness of Ephraim about thirteen miles north of Jerusalem. Many scholars believe that he was in the wilderness for at least two weeks.

When he returned from Ephraim on Palm Sunday for the Passover, Christ went around Jerusalem to first reunite with his friends in Bethany. The scriptures don't say exactly why, but it was likely much more than simply checking into his lodging. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were a source of strength and comfort for Christ throughout his ministry, so it is no surprise that he goes to help when they are in trouble and goes for help when he is in trouble. He would stay with them throughout the most difficult and notable week of his life, walking to and from Jerusalem each day, until his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane in the dark hours of Thursday evening.

Following the Savior's example, we are taught to be both anxiously engaged and take appropriate time for preparation, rest, and communion with our Father in Heaven. King Benjamin counseled his people to, "See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man [or woman] should run faster than he [or she] has strength...[But] it is expedient that he [or she] be diligent, that thereby he [or she] might win the prize" (Mosiah 4:27).

We are diligent and build capacity to move forward as we follow Elder David A. Bednar's counsel to, "Identify the two, the three, the four most important priorities in our lives, and then... make sure that each one gets the [time] that it needs." He continues, "Don't spend all of your time trying to achieve this perfect equilibrium because it doesn't exist. Focus on the things that matter most in the moment, and you'll have the Lord's help to be able to juggle and attend to all of those important priorities in your life." 

As we stay close to Him, the Lord will help us attend to our responsibilities. And sometimes, just as the Savior was, we will be "led up of the Spirit" into the wilderness, into the temple, into the strength we can receive among loved ones, and even, as Nephi, into the comforting and loving arms of the Lord who understands what we are experiencing and promises to give us rest (2 Nephi 1:15, Matthew 11:28.

Learning to Live an Eternal Life

There is a well-known proverb of the Cherokee Native American tribe that warns, "Don't judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes." Harper Lee expounded in her classic book, To Kill a Mockingbird, when she wrote: "You never really know a man until you understand things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

There are several benefits to really getting to know someone. Turning to another literary source, Orson Scott Card mused in his book, Ender's Game, that "I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves."

We develop greater empathy and compassion for others as we learn to understand them. By taking a walk in someone else's shoes, we also get to see how their chosen lifestyle leads to the results we see on the surface. We see the discipline and drive of the successful businessman, the passion and long hours of an accomplished artist, or the integrity and virtue of someone enjoying peace of conscience.

The lifestyle of the Mormon pioneers might not be one you would be quick to choose for yourself. At least, not at first. They were persecuted, betrayed, driven from place to place, and endured incredible challenges. Yet, they were also a unified people, blessed with faith and resolve, and among the most productive the world has ever seen. Consider, they built a great city not once, but several times over. Nauvoo rivaled Chicago in size and enterprise. Groups of saints contributed to the rise of Salt Lake City, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Boise and dozens of others-- and in each place they were innovators of the railroad, irrigation, guns, and technology of every sort. Clearly, the early saints knew the secrets of an abundant life.

All around the world, LDS youth groups have the chance every few years to really get to know the pioneer ancestors of their faith as they recreate some of the conditions experienced while crossing the Great Plains. Pushing handcarts in period clothing inspires sore muscles and spiritual growth as youth begin to experience what faith looks like. It can inspire greater courage in the face of difficult trials, a stronger work ethic, and a more passionate resolve to press forward. In short, coming to know the early pioneers teaches the youth how to be modern pioneers.

In similar fashion, our Father in Heaven wants us all to really get to know him and the way he lives. The principles that guide his life will teach us to have the same happiness, success and peace he enjoys. The Savior taught, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).

We come to know our Father and His Son the same way that our youth come to know their pioneer ancestors. Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained: "To know God is to think what he thinks, to feel what he feels, to have the power he possesses, to comprehend the truths he understands, and to do what he does. Those who know God become like him and have his kind of life, which is eternal."

Eternal life is said to be the greatest of all the gifts of God, but it isn't a gift in the sense of a present we open at Christmastime. It is much more like the decades of memories and lessons we get as a gift from our families and loved ones. As we seek to be like God-- to think what he thinks and do what he does-- we experience glimpses into his eternal lifestyle that teach us about our own path to happiness and success. Over time and extending into our lives after death, we will come to know him better because we will have adopted his lifestyle. We are then able to see the world as he sees it and comprehend the universe as he understands it. At the same time, we will receive of his glory and the countless blessings he enjoys because we are living according to the principles upon which those blessings are predicated.

Said another way, eternal life isn't an object like a car or a book or a new tie; nor is it an opportunity in the same sense as a new job or a chance to move to California. Rather, eternal life is a lifestyle that contributes to our health and happiness, develops even our weaknesses into strengths and unites families even beyond the grave. It is God's lifestyle, and he's already told us how we can start living it and being blessed by it.

You may know the Divine Lifestyle Plan by it's other name: the Gospel. At it's core, living the gospel includes trusting in God, striving to improve ourselves, making and keeping sacred covenants, receiving all the benefits of the Holy Ghost in our lives and actively enduring through life's trials with the patience and faith of the pioneers.

Anchored to that core are many more beautiful truths that add richness to our budding eternal lives. For example, the gospel teaches that "if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come" (D&C 130:19). The joys of reading and education are joys of an eternal life. God comprehends all things and reaps the benefits of that knowledge; each of us are similarly blessed proportional to our studies.

Likewise, the Lord taught that "in the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into... marriage" (D&C 131:1-2). Marriage between a man and a woman is a divinely ordained practice essential to a Godlike lifestyle. The love and support we have in our families continues to grow as we learn to know our Father and strive to emulate his Son.

Learning to live as God lives also means learning to have robust moral character. Teenagers walking through a wilderness area develop character because the trail is hard and through the difficulty of their trek they are reminded of their many blessings allow their hearts to turn to pioneers who sacrificed so much for them. Godlike character, Elder Bednar has taught, "is demonstrated by looking and reaching outward when the natural and instinctive response is to be self-absorbed and turn inward."

We observe the character of Christ throughout the gospels, but perhaps nowhere is it more poignant than in the chapters leading up to and including his suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross at Golgotha. Never in the history of mankind has anyone had a better reason to focus on themselves for a few moments; but Christ never does. In the Garden he prays, "not my will, but thine be done." When confronted by Judas and the mob, he petitions for his disciples to be allowed to leave unharmed. He reassured his disciples, healed the ear of Malchus, sought Pilate's spiritual wellbeing, found someone to care for his mother, ministered to two robbers, and asked for his persecutors to be forgiven-- all while being condemned, abused and tortured to his death.

Most of us will not be asked to die for someone else, but we are called upon to take up our cross and live Christlike lives. Though our own burdens may be heavy, developing the character needed for an eternal lifestyle means we should look and reach outward even when our natural and instinctive response is to turn inward. As we extend the hand of mercy to those less fortunate than ourselves, retrieve the lost sheep, visit the sick and elderly, serve as home and visiting teachers, teach our primary or Sunday school class with patience and love, respond to a questioning coworker and support righteous causes in an increasingly wicked world, we act as God would act and, with the help of his grace, qualify for his divine blessings.

The Lord has said that his work and glory is the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39). Immortality is a gift to all of us by virtue of his Atonement. Eternal life is the gift of his life-- to live as he lives and become as he is. We learn his lifestyle by beginning to live it today-- doing what he would do, thinking what he would think, studying to know all he understands, and praying for guidance along the way. It includes men being ordained and attending to priesthood duties, men and women getting married and sealed in holy temples, and all of us loving and serving others and letting our light shine in an increasingly dark world.

As we come to know God, our Father, and his son, Jesus Christ, we will also come to love them. President Russell M. Nelson has taught, "The best evidence of our adoration of Jesus is our emulation of Him." That is, the best evidence of our respect for Christ and His Atonement is our willingness to use it so that his life and death will not have been in vain-- to adopt a gospel-centered lifestyle, his lifestyle, that maximizes its benefit.

Our Heavenly Father has given us this life so that we might have the chance to walk a mile in his shoes. Wearing bodies of flesh and blood and burdened with the cares of the world, we are given the opportunity to experience what faith feels like. If we will choose to take up our cross and press forward with faith in every footstep, we will learn to be spiritually minded, to have charity, to seek learning by study and by faith, and to serve others even when we are struggling. In short, by coming to know God, our Eternal Father, and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent, we learn to be like him and to live an eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.

What Would I Do (WWID)?

When facing a difficult decision, millions of Christians around the world have rightly learned to ask the steering question, 'What would Jesus do?' The answer to that question sheds light on any scenario as we strive to act with the compassion, courage and wisdom of our Great Exemplar. In our efforts to follow our Savior and act righteously, we may also benefit from asking the often overlooked companion question: What would I do?

This question is not meant to be blasphemous nor elevate your own opinions to conceit and the kind of pride that rationalizes sin and blinds us to our own faults. The life of Christ remains the standard to which all of us must aspire. Rather, this question echoes the advice Karl Maeser once gave to a young J. Golden Kimball to 'Always be yourself; but always be your better self.' Let me explain.

Steven Covey's 7 Habits is one of dozens of books that have briefly summarized the basic research of maturity with the simple, three-step model of dependence, independence, and interdependence. This is easy enough to understand-- when we're kids we depend on our parents to meet our needs, then one day we set out on our own, and ideally we end up learning we can do more working together with a spouse, coworkers and others than any of us could ever accomplish working separately.

It's important to note that maturity must be a progression. We cannot function properly in a marriage relationship if we have never learned to be independent, for example. Trading dependence on parents for dependence on a spouse only is hardly a recipe for a successful relationship, regardless of whether that dependence is physical, emotional, financial or otherwise. We may accomplish a stage of maturity in a very brief period, even seconds, but we must experience each stage to progress to the next.

The end goal for our maturity is interdependence, which requires two or more independent parties to work toward a common goal by acting with complete trust in a partner or colleague. Under the Law of Consecration, the saints chose to give all of their income for the needs of the community as a whole. Handing over your whole paycheck with no guarantees requires immense belief in the integrity and character of the other participants; yet, if everyone participates, the principles of economics predict that the community will produce more than the sum of what the individuals produced before consecration and all are insured against disability, unemployment, and other such personal tragedies. Similarly, when we give our whole hearts to our spouse we expose ourselves to hurt and disappointment, but through coordinated effort and complete trust we make possible greater happiness (and ultra-romantic economic efficiencies) than either of us could have alone.

Examples of other successful interdependent relationships abound. When Dell and Intel agree to work together on a computer, each faces the risk of significant losses if the other party is unable to deliver on their contractual agreement; yet, when they go to work with full faith in each other they co-manufacture computers with rapidly advancing technology in significantly less time than if each were attempting to produce all of the computer on their own. It's the same when neighboring communities work together to deliver 911 services or when Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg contribute their talents along with a larger cast and crew to make a movie. When two independent individuals voluntarily decide to work together toward a common goal, relying in whole or in part on another person for their support, interdependence happens-- and the results exceed the sum of the parts.

Each of us are complex creatures with varying maturity in different areas of our lives. We don't have to be living with our parents to be emotionally, socially, or fiscally immature; nor does our immaturity in any one area of our lives guarantee that we are not enjoying the benefits of independence or interdependence in another area. To make things even more complex, our maturity may slide up or down the maturity continuum from day to day. Returning missionaries with testimonies of their own often face the choice of building their faith by associating with those who will strengthen and be strengthened by them or depending on the faith (or doubts) of others.

The point here is that as we mature in the gospel, as with anything else, we will find the greatest benefit when we become interdependent with others. When we are baptized, we covenant to take upon ourselves the name of Christ just as a new bride takes the name of her husband. In so doing, we pledge to rely on Him for salvation from our sins and He asks that we do all we can to live righteously and spread the gospel. It doesn't matter that He is better at all those things than we are any more than it matters that a lawyer and a farmer may both be living the law of consecration at the same time; if we have a testimony and are doing good on our own, the result of the interdependent relationship we have entered by covenant will be just as advantageous to us spiritually as the cooperation of Dell and Intel is profitable.

Hopefully our second question is now all but obvious. Interdependent relationships require two or more independent individuals working toward a common goal. If we are to reap the benefits of an interdependent relationship with Christ, we must also be using our agency to take independent action toward our common goals of immortality and eternal life. Neither prayer without action nor action without prayer are sufficient; it is through prayer that we unify our goals with His and through action that we can realize those goals.

In the Lord's words:

It is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward. But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned (D&C 58:26-29).

So, if you are an agent unto yourself and free to choose your actions, and knowing that the greatest benefit will always come through interdependent relationships, particularly such a relationship with the same Christ that can forgive sin and empower us to do all things, it follows that once we consider the example of Christ we must also inquire of our own agency and ability, 'What would I do?'

In contemplating what you or I could do that would be of greatest benefit, we do well to remember another mastery scripture from the teachings of King Benjamin:

And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day. Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast... for I have only been in the service of God. And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God...[A]nd if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another? (Mosiah 2:14-18)

As we face difficult decisions, there is much we can learn from asking, 'What would Jesus do?' Completing the question we've worked on with advice from King Benjamin, we may also benefit from asking the companion question, 'What would I do if Christ were here?' In the service we render as accountants, bus drivers, school volunteers, policymakers, salespersons, entertainers, home teachers, or whatever else, do we treat others as though we are delivering the service to Christ? If we manage others, do we develop policies that direct our subordinates to treat all people as you would want them to treat the Savior? Do we treat our own kids with the same dignity and respect?

We will achieve the impossible if we labor independently and collectively toward our common goals, trusting in each other and in our Savior to complement our efforts. We will be resurrected from the dead and inherit all that God has. So ask yourself, 'What would I do?' and get to work.

The Baptism of Jesus Christ

In the third chapter of Matthew we read of the baptism of Jesus Christ. Our Savior approached John the Baptist, his cousin, who had the priesthood authority to baptize. John had just explained to his disciples that his baptism was unto repentance and that more was to come from someone more authorized than himself.

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

As John learned at the baptism of Christ, there is more to baptism than repentance only. It is true that baptism washes away our sin, but it does so because with our immersion in water we enter into a certain covenant. We promise God that we will be willing to take upon ourselves the name of Christ, always remember him and keep his commandments. God promises us the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The key phrases in that covenant are that we are willing and that we take upon ourselves the name of Christ. I've written about willingness before here. Taking upon ourselves the name of Christ includes, among other things, literally accepting his name just as a bride accepts the name of her groom. Just as the union of two people by marriage allows them to be seen legally and otherwise as one family unit, the union of individuals to Christ by baptism allows us to be seen by the laws of God as one unit together with Christ.

Our baptism is the covenant by which we can become unified with Christ and, therefore, judged as one with him if we keep the rest of the covenant, i.e. if we remain willing and obedient. As fallen men and women, each of whom has committed sin(s), this is the only way we may be judged worthy to enter God's kingdom.

That is a little different story for our Savior, Jesus Christ. Free from the burdens of sinful disobedience, he was the only person with the capacity and power to return to live with God independent of outside assistance. He did not need baptism to be clean from sin. So why was he baptized?

Christ told John he was baptized to, 'fulfil all righteousness'. Nephi had the same answer, noting only the valuable example it would provide for the rest of us:

And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized in water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!... But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping the commandments (2 Nephi 31:5, 7)

Righteousness refers to actions that are justified with or pleasing to God. The opposite of sin, righteousness simply means acting according to the will of God. Fulfilling all righteousness would then be doing everything according to the will of God. It is perfect righteousness.

Christ completed his mission to fulfill all righteousness. Even in the excruciating moments of Gethsemane, he prayed, 'O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done' (Matthew 26:42). He did everything God asked of Him-- yet, that doesn't seem to completely explain why a perfect man, our Creator and Savior, was baptized.

Perhaps Christ was not baptized for repentance, but rather to enter into the same covenant that we do when we are baptized. A bride cannot be married if the groom is not present. Perhaps he covenanted with God to give his name to us-- even to suffer, bleed and die for us-- if we would be willing to accept it through our individual faith, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. As a bride and groom entering the marriage covenant, perhaps Christ was baptized because He loves us dearly and wants to help and guide and provide for us.

These are only my thoughts, so perhaps some caution would be wise. Yet in them reside a few certain truths: Jesus Christ is our Savior and our perfect example, he was baptized by immersion by someone authorized to do so, he loves each of us and he wants us to return to live with our Heavenly Father. This can only happen if we follow his example:

And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God. And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father (3 Nephi 11: 33-35).