Giving All Our Heart to Christ | Shima Baughman | October 2024
Oct 1, 2024
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Shima Baughman, a Woodruff J. Deem Professor of Law at BYU and a Distinguished Fellow at the Wheatley Institute, shares profound insights on devotion and spiritual growth. She reflects on her own experiences at BYU, emphasizing the importance of community and compassion. The discussion delves into the heart's role in faith, sacrificial love, and the transformative power of deep connections, including a poignant mentorship with a refugee mother. Baughman encourages listeners to cherish their divine worth and commit wholeheartedly to Christ.
The heart symbolizes our ongoing devotion to God, with obedience representing a relational expression of love and commitment to His teachings.
Sacrifice and consecration demonstrate the importance of prioritizing spiritual connections over worldly distractions, embodying our loyalty and desires to God.
Deep dives
The Heart's Role in Love and Obedience
The concept of the heart as central to our spiritual existence is emphasized, highlighting its significance in both love for God and adherence to His commandments. The heart is depicted as continuously beating, symbolizing constant love and support from the Savior, which mirrors how our obedience reflects our devotion to Him. Obedience, described as an expression of love, is seen as essential for a meaningful relationship with God, with the speaker encouraging recognition of areas in our lives where improvement is needed. The analogy of brown M&Ms from the Van Halen story illustrates how seemingly minor disobediences can indicate a broader lack of attentiveness to God’s commandments, potentially leading to greater issues in one’s spiritual journey.
Sacrifice and Devotion in Our Spiritual Journey
Sacrifice is portrayed as a vital component of a committed relationship with God, with the heart representing our desires and loyalty. Personal anecdotes, such as the speaker's mother enduring imprisonment for her beliefs, illustrate the extreme lengths individuals may go to honor their commitment to God. This commitment involves prioritizing spiritual connections over worldly distractions, mirroring the call to love God wholeheartedly. The sharing of a singular, profound New Year’s resolution—to let Jesus’ love fill one’s heart—demonstrates the importance of prioritizing spiritual devotion above all else.
Chastity as a Testament of Loyalty
The principle of chastity is linked to fidelity towards God, paralleling marital commitment in its depth and seriousness. The speaker illustrates the importance of aligning one's desires with the teachings of Jesus, acknowledging that human feelings may sometimes diverge from spiritual aspirations. Tools for maintaining this alignment include prayer and scripture study to cultivate humility and closeness to the Savior. By framing spiritual fidelity with the intimacy of marriage, the speaker emphasizes the need for transparency and dedication in our relationship with Christ.
Consecration: Giving Our All to God
Consecration is discussed as the act of dedicating all we possess to God, reflecting a deep commitment to His teachings and to serving His kingdom. A poignant example from the speaker's life features a valuable meeting with Nelson Mandela, illustrating how true humility and charity are expressed when we do not see ourselves as above others. The philosophy of giving more than we can spare resonates, encouraging a lifestyle of abundant generosity. The speaker also advises ways to increase closeness to God through regular temple attendance and wearing sacred garments, emphasizing these acts as personal reminders of divine love and protection.
Our covenants to God are connected to our hearts. We can give all our heart to Him as we go to the temple and wear His name. Shima Baughman, Woodruff J. Deem Professor of Law at the BYU Law School and a Distinguished Fellow at the Wheatley Institute, delivered this devotional address on October 1, 2024. You can access the full talk here.