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"Feeling Connected" to a Righteous Father
Ponder for a moment the idea of a patriarchal
father who is vitally concerned about the spiritual training of his
children today. Many prophets throughout the scriptures have taught of
strong psychological, emotional and spiritual connections to "the
fathers," and the effective power of their righteous examples. This is
a vital, strengthening element that we need today. There is strong
psychological and spiritual power in "feeling connected" to a righteous
father, even one who lived long ago.
Families are eternal--not just nuclear
families, but extended patriarchal families are eternal. This concept
causes us to broaden our vision and enlarge our understandings of the
meaning of the word "family," and to understand that death does not
separate us from our fathers and their love and concern. It is a
principle of the gospel that salvation is a family affair, from father
to son down through the ages. When will we ever not care about our
posterity? We always will, and this is a truth which applies to us as
children of Father Abraham. Abraham knows us as his children: "The
Lord had shown unto me the intelligences that were organized before the
world was; and among these there were many of the noble and great
ones." (Abr. 3:22). He has seen us all, "down to the present time".
Remembering him as our father brings forward the essential idea of
children being taught by their parents.
We read in the scriptures: "I have given you
the names of our first parents, that when you remember your names you
may remember them, and when ye remember them ye may remember their
works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said,
and also written, that they were good" (Hel. 5:6). Remembering our
righteous father Abraham will help our children see that he was
righteous as they will be, even in troubled times. "Therefore my sons,
I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of
you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them." (Hel.
5:7)
Abraham wrote: "I shall write some of these things for the benefit of
my posterity that shall come after me" (Abr. 1:31). As we read, we see
that Abraham was connected to his posterity, spiritually, mentally and
emotionally--would he be any less so now? For my own perspective,
I feel that he is indeed involved in our lives, even today. It is my
personal belief that Abraham would homeschool his children, were he
raising a family today.
Understanding Father Abraham
We read in the scriptures that Abraham was very knowledgeable for his
day and for his time. We do not know exactly how much he knew and
understood, but we do know that he understood spiritual principles in
depth, and that he so lived in righteousness that he walked and talked
with the Lord "face to face, as one man talk[s] to another" (Abr. 3:11.
He was instructed of the Lord concerning the sun, moon, and stars, time
as measured unto God and unto man, the concept of intelligence,
foreordination, the creation of the earth in all its stages (what
scientist today can claim that knowledge?). He understood the purpose
of life ("we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things
the Lord their God shall command them", Abr. 3:25), the pre-mortal life
and its spiritual laws ("and they who keep their first estate shall be
added upon", Abr. 3:26), and the status of souls in the next life ("they
who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for
ever", Abr. 3:26). The Lord revealed to Abraham that "one like unto the
Son of Man" was chosen as the Savior of the world, and why (Abr. 3:27).
What things did Abraham write for the benefit of his posterity? He
wrote of his knowledge of the right of Priesthood, the creation of the
earth, the planets, and the stars, and that which had been written in
the records of the fathers, the patriarchs, which had come down unto
him. Again we see the concept of fathers teaching their children.
What things would Father Abraham want
us to know in our day?
Abraham epitomizes the achievement of the many things that are
important for us to do to gain a fullness of the blessings of our
Heavenly Father. We might ask ourselves: What things would Father
Abraham want us to know in our day? The following characteristics
outline a few essential goals:
Abraham "desired to be one who possessed great knowledge":
... to "be a greater follower of righteousness"
... to "possess a greater knowledge"
... to "be a father of many nations, [and] a prince of peace"
... he "desired to receive instructions"
... to "keep the commandments of God"
... he found "greater happiness and peace and rest"
... he "became a rightful heir, holding the right belonging to the
Fathers"
These goals are the whole of our lives, and that which we want most of
all for our children to also desire (quotes from Abraham 1:2), and are
rightfully an integral part of our homeschool lessons.
All the Families of the Earth
The Lord promised Abraham that through him all families of the earth
shall be blessed.
"I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and
in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of
the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the
blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of
life eternal" (Abr. 2:11).
Abraham was righteous even in the midst of wickedness, as we strive to
be, and as we hope our children will be. Although his father was
idolatrous, ("my fathers, having turned from their righteousness", Abr.
1:5), Abraham proactively chose righteousness: "I sought for mine
appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto
the fathers concerning the seed" (Abr. 1:4), and "I sought for the
blessings of the fathers" (Abr. 1:2).
The Lord's promises to Abraham were great: "Thou shalt be a blessing
unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this
ministry and Priesthood unto all nations" (Abr. 2:9). "As many as
receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and accounted thy
seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father." (Abr. 2:10)
This is a latter-day promise, with covenant blessings unto us,
including missionary covenant obligations, blessings, powers, and
promises.
Covenant Blessings
We want our children to grow up knowing and understanding that they are
a covenant people, of the House of Israel. Because we are the children
of Abraham, we are of the house of Israel. We recognize the fatherhood
of Abraham (patriarchal order), and are grateful for the receipt of the
covenants, blessings, and obligations associated with the Abrahamic
Covenant. We are a covenant people.
This covenant extends to missionary work --
what a powerful teaching opportunity for our young future missionaries.
In the Church today, we are missionaries because we are of the Abrahamic
covenant: "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee
above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt
be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall
bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations" (Abr. 2:9).
These covenant blessings "came down from the fathers from the beginning
of time, from the beginning, or before the foundation of the earth,
"down to the present time" from Adam, "through the fathers unto me"
(Abr. 1:3). Understanding this concept will help our children see that
they have received an inheritance passed down since the world began.
"The present time" means our time--the blessing has not diminished.
What a freeing concept! Truly understood, this teaching lifts us from
the confines of the present and its pressing troubles. The gospel is
the same yesterday, today, and forever.
"Through [Abraham's] ministry, the name of the Lord shall be known in
the earth forever" (Abr. 1:19). Surely the Lord wants us to be keenly
aware that we are of the house of Israel, thus he has given us our
patriarchal blessings for a rod and a compass for our lives. Righteous
parents will hope that these powerful concepts will distill upon our
children forever.
Then may we say, as did Abraham: "Eternity was
our covering and our rock and our salvation, as we journeyed" along the
way (Abr. 2:16).
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