Father, Let Thy Light Divine Shine on Us We Pray

I was quietly sitting in the chapel before sacrament meeting began and I noticed the sunlight coming through the delicate drapes that hung in front of the long windows. The drapes looked like a veil, obscuring what was behind them, but still letting light through. That made me think of the veil over our eyes. In the LDS church we often say that a veil was placed over our eyes when we left our Heavenly Father’s presence to come down to earth, which is why we can’t remember our former life with Him. Just as with the drapes, we can’t see it, but His light still shines through. But it seems more like our spiritual eyes are covered with layer after layer of veils. When through our obedience and diligence and God’s mercy, He allows one of those layers to be lifted away, we see things we didn’t see before. We understand a part of His plan and His gospel that wasn’t clear a moment ago. But He doesn’t take all the layers off at once.

“There is no doubt, if a person lives according to the revelations given to God's people, he may have the Spirit of the Lord to signify to him his will, and to guide and to direct him in the discharge of his duties, in his temporal as well as his spiritual exercises. I am satisfied, however, that in this respect, we live far beneath our privileges.”

Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. and arr. by John A. Widtsoe, 1973, 32

I wonder how very far beneath my privileges I live. I love the feeling I get when I study and ponder about something, and Heavenly Father blesses me with knowledge and understanding. He takes away one veil. But how much more light could I see if I live up to Heavenly Father’s expectations? Is He waiting there, holding a veil right now and I am too busy to do my part to seek answers, to listen, to be still?

“The Almighty is with this people. We shall have all the revelations that we shall need if we will do our duty and keep the commandments of God. If men could just realize that there may be sound even though few ears hear it. There are revelations even though most minds be materialistic and most hearts impenetrable…

Remember:
If there be eyes to see, there will be visions to inspire.
If there be ears to hear, there will be revelations to experience.
If there be hearts which can understand, know this: that the exalting truths of Christ's gospel will no longer be hidden and mysterious, and all earnest seekers may know God and his program.”
Spencer W. Kimball, Conference Report, Oct. 1966, 26

**The title of my post comes from #305: The Light Divine,” Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Text: Matilda Watts Cahoon Music: Mildred T. Pettit