Sabbath Reflections - Christ's Tender Mercy

Garden of Gethsemane

A tender peace truly abides among us when we pause from the cares of the world, amid the commotion of all things, and gather together to lift, to strengthen and to nurture one another in the gospel of Christ; pausing from the seeming routineness of everyday living or amid our midnight moments to draw upon the tender mercies of the Master. We are blessed beyond measure as partakers of His love and atoning sacrifice, wherein we can be sheltered and comforted amid the storms of life.

As so many are sorrowed in the suffering of Stephanie's dear friends, Christian and Stephanie Nielson ("NieNie"), may we find comfort in the Atoning love and tender mercies of the Master. It has been a difficult year for many, and irrespective of our personal storms or joyful mornings, the Lord entreats each of us to come as He did Peter in Matthew. There is joy amid the sorrows, born of His tender love.

The meekness and infinite capacity of the Master to love is manifest in His submissive sacrifice for each of us as He willingly submitted and suffered in Gethsemane and on Calgary.

"And He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith He will take upon Him the pains and the sicknesses of His people. And He will take upon Him death, that He may loose the bands of death which bind His people; and He will take upon Him their infirmities, that His bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that He may know according to the flesh how to succor His people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12)

His love and perfect empathy are without bounds as is His capacity to comfort because He suffered all things. How comforting it is to know and feel of His constant love.

Reflecting upon the compassion and tender pleadings of the Master, and following the account of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, we read in Matthew 14:

“And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 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. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

The Savior, knowing the hearts of His friends, constrained them that they should go and prepare the way for Him on the other side, while He offered concluding comfort to the multitudes, who likely sought to remain in the presence of the Master. After the multitudes dispersed, having previously learned of the death of his cousin John, the Savior sought for solitude and the comfort and solace of our Heavenly Father in submissive prayer. Having been comforted by His Father, the Savior went to join His friends. Amid the contrary sea, He approached. Discerning their fear and trepidation as He approached, He “straightway,” or immediately sought to comfort them by reassuring them that it was He, and to be “not afraid” and be of “good cheer.” How blessed we are as He tenderly offers similar counsel and comfort to each of us amid our contrary seas. Peter, seeking for reassurance, bid the Savior that he could come unto Him on the water. To which the Savior said, COME. Amid the storm, Peter looked about for he was distracted and looked away from the Savior, as we tend to do in life. He began to doubt, wherein he began to sink. Pleading for help, the Savior stretched forth His hand and caught Him, as He does with each of us in similar circumstance. Our contrary seas may be personal or extensial, spiritual or temporal, notwithstanding, our tutorial trials can be absorbed in the atoning sacrifice and suffering of the Savior, if we will but let them. His tender hands are continually stretched out to reach our reaching; if only we would recognize the infinite capacity of His atoning gift and love.