One of the steps in the 12 Step Program, talks about tender mercies. I would like to share with you some thoughts and quotes about the tender mercies of the Lord. Elder David A. Bednar gave talk a called, "The Tender Mercies of the Lord," and it can be found in the Ensign, May 2005, 99 or you can go to this link and read it online...http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=0a838fbe352fe010VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1 A couple of quotes from that talk are as follows:
"The tender mercies of the Lord are real and . . . they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord's timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them.
". . . The Lord's tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and though the Lord Jesus Christ."
I have seen many tender mercies throughout my own life, but it wasn't until I began as a missionary in the LDS Addiction Recovery Program, that I actually realized what they were. My defination of a tender mercy is a special and personal experience that happens to me just at the right time when I need it the most. After hearing Elder Bednars talk in conference, I began to be more aware of the tender mercies that happen to me, even so much that I have begun to write them down. I never want to forget these special experiences that come my way, not by chance, or by fate, but because the Lord knows my needs, loves me, and lets me know that he is looking after me.
Recognizing tender mercies is like the awakening that we have when we realize that we can't do anything without the Lord. Once we sufficently humble ourselves, and knock on the proverbial door, and ask to let the Lord in, our eyes are opened to the miracles and blessings that are all around us. You are no longer doing it alone, and you will understand this concept when you feel the Spirit within you, and you know that He is with you and watching over you and helping you along this tough journey through life.Tender mercies can be great or small, miraculuous or simple, but they happen and they are real and a testiment of our Heavenly Fathers presence in our lives.
Last week, I was on the freeway driving in the center lane. Before I knew it, I noticed that there was some dibree in the road ahead. It appeared to be long, silver or stainless steel materials and rods. They were mostly in the lane to the right of me, but there was a piece of it stretched between my lane and the lane to the left of me. I felt that if I were to just stay in my lane, I could straddle the two piles of steel and metal, and miss them altogether. Then it started to happen. The cars in the other lanes, began to run over the dibree, and that propelled these metal objects in the air, hitting cars, and landing and spreading much worse on the freeway. I was driving 65 miles per hour and had to react quickly as the car to my side hit a piece and it was coming my way. I turned my wheel to the left to try to swerve out of the path or I feared it would go right through my windshield, however by doing so, I felt like I had lost control of my car. Through my mind instantly I spoke the words, "Heavenly Father, Help me!" Somehow, someway, almost as if someone took a hold of my steering wheel, my swerving out of control fomr side to side stopped, and I was once again back in control of my car and had also somehow missed the metal objects that I was trying to avoid. I knew without a doubt, that my Heavenly Father sent me a tender mercy and helped me avoid what could have potentially been a deadly accident on the freeway.How quickly we forget the tender mercies and blessing that happen in our lives. For this reason, I started to write down in a journal the tender mercies that I have experienced. It is not only the acknowledgement that they have happened and that they are real, but a reminder to me and my posterity that the Lord is a huge part of our lives on this earth. I also can't help but feel the love that He has for me as he reaches out and helps me when I need it the most.
My incident brought to mind a story that my father told me one day as he was driving his truck home from Provo, Utah. He was driving down a hill and he had a prompting that he should get into the other lane. He felt an urgency about doing it too. He listened to his prompting and moved to the other lane, just in time to see a long metal pipe that was in the back of the truck that was ahead of him, propell itsself from the truck. If my father had not listended to this prompting, or this very obvious tender mercy from the Lord, the pipe would have gone through his windshield and through him as well. Tender mercy? There is no question in my mind.
These are just two tender mercies that came to my mind, but tender mercies come in all shapes and forms.
Recently a man who had been struggling with alcohol addiction came to an LDS Addiction Recovery meeting that my husband and I were the missionar group leaders. He shared his story of a lifetime of alcohol abuse, and getting clean and then falling off the wagon over and over. This happened to be the second meeting that he came to that particular day. Later on, in talking with another missionary, it was revealed that this missionary became inspired to talk with this man who he met at the first meeting that day. In the conversation, the man revealed to the missionary that he had been contemplating suiside, and the missionary was able to interviene and say and do what was needed to save this mans life. I don't believe for one moment that it was a chance happening or fate, I beleive that this was a tender mercy of the Lord who worked a miracle through a sensitive missionary. A mans life was preserved because the Lord knew what to do and inspired the action that was needed through the missionary.
This tender mercy shows me just how much the Lord loves his children. He doesn't discriminate between his children with his love, because he loves each and every one the same. He doesn't just love those who are walking on the straight and narrow path and loathe those who are sinning. He loves all His children and wants each of them to return home to his loving arms one day at the right time.
He loved us so much that he provided us a Savior, even his beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins. How hard would that be? Imaging giving your beloved son to be killed and suffer the sins of the world. I know that Jesus Christ was not the only one suffering on the Cross. The Lord sufferes too when his children are suffering, and as a loving father, wants to help. God shows his love for his children throught the tender mercies that he showers upon us each and every day. It is our responsiblity to recognize them for what they are, and we need to remember to acknowledge and thank Him through prayer, and service
for sending these mercies, and His love, to us.
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