In The Shadow of His Wings

From What Do We Flee

Many of you may be familiar with a series of films titled the Bourne Identity about an assassin with no memory of his past. But you may not know that it is thought the character is named after a real-life case of amnesia. In March of 1887, Ansel Bourne, a preacher from Rhode Island, woke up in Pennsylvania without being able to remember the last several months nor how he got there. This form of amnesia is known as a “dissociative fugue,” in which the person functions normally but cannot remember their identity.

The word fugue comes the Latin word meaning “flight” or “to flee.” In this case, the memory is fleeing from one’s true identity. Other words come from this root, including refuge, meaning a sanctuary or a shelter to which one flees; refugee, meaning someone who is fleeing in search of a refuge; and fugitive, someone who is fleeing from the law.

We should all relate to these words, because they describe us all. Our disassociative fugue is the result of passing through the veil from the pre mortal realm and losing the knowledge of our identity as children of God. We should all understand the plight of refugees as we seek a place of refuge in this mortal realm and desire to recover our heavenly home. And we are all fugitives, trying to evade the justice of paying the deadly consequence of our sins, seeking sanctuary as we run.

In our modern-day society and community that has been providently blessed with great affluence, it can be difficult to discern this reality. Much of the world is content to pursue the identities that they create and live their life as they choose; they would rather stay in their fugue. And in a world that would claim there is no sin, there is nothing to run from, no justice to evade.

But “sin is lawlessness (1 Jn. 3:4); it is a refusal on men’s part to submit to the law of God (Rom. 8:7). By transgression man loses control over his own will and becomes the slave of sin (Rom. 7:14) and so incurs the penalty of spiritual death, which is alienation from God (Rom. 6:23)” (Bible Dictionary: Atonement). The spiritual battlefield is right here, every moment of every day, and we are participants whether we want to dissociate from that reality or not.

Where Can We Turn

An interesting phrase we may hear in battle is "I'll cover you." This is said to indicate that one is going to provide protection in a battle in order for a fellow soldier to escape or move from one position to another. We also use it in more mundane ways such as when one offers to pay the price owed for another to gain or regain a possession. Another way to refer to this payment is the word "redeem."

The word for atonement in the Old Testament is "kafar" which means "to cover." To be redeemed is to be covered by the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

There is an abundance of language describing this covering of redemption in the scriptures as we seek for spiritual refuge from the dangers of the world, a refuge that can only be provided by Jesus Christ.

O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge (Psalm 57:1).

For thou hast been … a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall (Isaiah 25:4).

The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence (2 Samuel 22:3).

An important aspect of covering is how people are gathered together under that protection:

O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart (3 Nephi 10:6).

As more are gathered together to Zion, which is the pure in heart that have covenanted with God to obtain His divine protection, then "her stakes, may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth (D&C 115:6).

The covering provided by the Lord also provides a way to fulfill our divine purpose:

And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and [Christ] shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in (Isaiah 58:12).

Symbols of the Atonement

In an Ensign article, Hugh Nibley explained one way in which a symbol of the protective covering is manifest in the Middle East and in the Book of Mormon. He said:

It was the custom for one fleeing for his life in the desert to seek protection in the tent of a great sheik, crying out, “I am thy suppliant,” whereupon the host would place the hem of his robe over the guest’s shoulder and declare him under his protection. In one instance in the Book of Mormon we see Nephi fleeing from an evil enemy that is pursuing him. In great danger, he prays the Lord to give him an open road in the low way, to block his pursuers, and to make them stumble. He comes to the Lord as a suppliant: “O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies!” (2 Ne. 4:33.) In reply, according to the ancient custom, the Master would then place the hem of his robe protectively over the kneeling man’s shoulder. This puts him under the Lord’s protection from all enemies. They embrace in a close hug, as Arab chiefs still do; the Lord makes a place for him (see Alma 5:24) and invites him to sit down beside him—they are at-one.

This imagery of the covering embrace is very similar to wings that gather, overarching barriers casting shadows that protect, and arms of mercy that are outstretched towards His people. As Lehi says: “the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.”

Considering this imagery, wearing the garment of the holy priesthood should not be seen as a mere inconvenience. It is a powerful symbol of Christ and His love that protects us. This covering is meant to be both a sign of our inner commitment to follow Christ and a sign of His covering us from the effects of sin. It is a symbol of outstretched arms of mercy that have closed us in a sacred embrace meaning we are His.

How Is It Done

How is it that Christ is able to cover us and protect us with His arms of mercy? How is it possible for Christ “in love to [our] soul[s]” deliver us from “the pit of corruption”? How has He “cast all [our] sins behind [His] back” (Isaiah 38:17)? The answer is the good news which we declare:

This is the gospel, the glad tidings, which the voice out of the heavens bore record …— That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness; That through him all might be saved whom the Father had put into his power and made by him; Who glorifies the Father, and saves all the works of his hands … (D&C 76:40-45).

Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father. And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice (Mosiah 15:7-9).

And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people (Mosiah 3:7).

Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; … he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Mosiah 14:4-5).

He cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth … the pains of every living creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam. And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at the great and judgment day (2 Nephi 9:21-22).

By descending below all things (D&C 88:6, 122:8) paying the price of the full demands of justice, and suffering the consequences of death and sin in its entirety, according to the will of the Father, Jesus Christ “subdue[d] all things unto [Himself]” (D&C 19:1-2). As such He can cover every sin we may commit and restore all of us to the glory which we deserve by resurrecting us. This also gives Him the right to “[judge] every man according to his works and the deeds which he hath done” (D&C 19:3).

Outside of His Cover

The scriptures teach very clearly that our acceptance of Christ and His protection is a choice we make. So what happens to those who do not have faith in Christ and turn away from His refuge?

Surely every man must repent or suffer …. Wherefore, I revoke not the judgments which I shall pass, but woes shall go forth, weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth, yea, to those who are found on my left hand (D&C 19:4-5).

This is because even though His “mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircle [us] in the arms of safety, … he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice” (Alma 34:16).

Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest. And whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity, behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest. (Alma 12:34-35).

Why Do I Still Suffer?

This being true, some of us may be wondering, if I am supposedly being protected through my faith, repentance, and covenants, why do I experience so much pain and heartache still? Where is the rest that is promised?

A few thoughts for your consideration:

1. Remember that death still comes to us all, but His refuge is in the peace of what comes after. You cannot escape pain and suffering entirely. It is necessary to pass through sorrow. It is simply part of this existence. But you can have the protection of peace now, the refuge of God's love now, and the sanctuary of Christ’s promise to ultimately redeem you from death and hell right now. Then what you do experience will be swallowed up in Christ and in His strength you can do all things.

   As Mormon wrote to his son: “Be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever” (Moroni 9:25).

   We must remember that “since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory” (Alma 22:14).

   In speaking of the ultimate rescue from the fear that “shall come upon every man” in these latter-days, the Lord said “the saints also shall hardly escape; nevertheless, … I am with them, and will come down in heaven from the presence of my Father and consume the wicked with unquenchable fire. And behold, this is not yet, but by and by” (D&C 63:33-35). Trust that “by and by” will come.

2. What you are feeling may only be the collateral damage or the aftershocks of the full force of what you could be experiencing, as the one embracing you takes on the brunt of the attack. Being so closely tied to the one who is enduring the consequences for you means that you will of course feel some of that force. But do not imagine it is all you could be enduring. Without any concept of the pain and suffering that your protector had to experience, you would not be able to appreciate the depths which He went for you. Any moment of suffering you may have here, though it feel like a lifetime, is nothing compared to the limits which He endured. It is but a small moment (D&C 121:7). These feelings are an opportunity to draw nearer to Him, to have greater trust in Him, and as you do, become more like Him.

3. At times, the experiences of suffering you have are because you are still intent on going your own way, rather than obeying the will of the Lord. When you go your own way “according to [your] own carnal wills and desires,” you are left to your own protection (Mosiah 16:12). When you go the Lord’s way, following Him as THE WAY, then you have His promises of protection and safety no matter what may happen to you in this earthly realm.

   The Lord promised and warned Zion, which includes all of us, saying:

   Zion shall escape if she observe to do all things whatsoever I have commanded her. But if she observe not to do whatsoever I have commanded her, I will visit her according to all her works, with sore affliction, with pestilence, with plague, with sword, with vengeance, with devouring fire. Nevertheless, … if she sin no more none of these things shall come upon her (D&C 97:25-27).

   It will do us no good as fugitives from the law to pretend we have committed no crime or continually flee from justice. Instead we should do as Alma taught his son Corianton: “Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do … let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility” (Alma 42:30).

   Humbly consider if you have need to repent further or align yourself more closely with Him in ways that you are not. Prayerfully seek for guidance to more fully fulfill your calling and your ministering assignments. Remember that the Lord chastens those He loves. He wants to fully cover you with the sacrifice He has already made so you do not have to suffer those consequences. Let the Lord lead your life.

All ordinances are done in the name of Jesus Christ because without His saving grace we could not approach the Father. Through ordinances we are bound in covenant to God through Christ as our Mediator. Participating in these rites and keeping the associated covenants are a sign that we seek to fulfill the purposes of God, as His Only Begotten Son did. Humbly consider and prepare for the next ordinance you should receive with a desire to more fully bind yourself to Him.

Turning to Him Always

With our knowledge of the miraculous and infinite Atonement of our Redeemer, we should have great desire to:

1. Place our trust and faith in Christ,
2. Turn to Him by repenting,
3. Bind ourselves to Him by making and keeping covenants,
4. Do His work by seeking and heeding the promptings of the Holy Ghost,
5. And, enduring in faith to the end.

I was inspired five years ago to feel that God wanted these themes for each year I have been the bishop of our ward. But I hope this focus will be perpetual in your lives. I hope it will be a framework for how you can receive the immortality and eternal life that our Father desired us to have. Those that truly feel and appreciate the atoning embrace of their Redeemer will automatically desire to be like Him and to be instruments in the hands of God to do the work of their Savior by bringing others to Him. The promises of doing so are beyond our comprehension.

Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love (D&C 6:20).

He did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him (Mosiah 29:20).

Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love, yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work (Alma 26:15).

Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you? Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me. Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God (3 Nephi 9:13-15).

Psalm 18: The Strength of the Protection of the Lord

I will close with a few verses from Psalm 18 about the day that the Lord delivered David from the hand of his enemies, including King Saul who sought to kill him. David said:

I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.

In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

[The Lord] … delivered me, because he delighted in me.

Brothers and sisters, I delight in you. And because of this, I have only desired for you to come inside the cover of the loving embrace of the only One who can deliver us: my Savior, Jesus Christ. This is my hope and my work, in His name, Jesus Christ, amen.