i am a child of god.

they always say the primary songs are laced with doctrine.  i would have to agree.  come with me on a little journey i went on tonight.  some things i discovered about the doctrine in the beautifully simple song we all sing all the time, "i am a child of god."

I am a child of God – I am literally a daughter of God!  He’s my Father.  I am a daughter of a King.  The Almighty Creator, the Endless, Eternal Being God.  But more importantly than all those titles, He is MY Father.  And that means SO many things.  My favorite thing that means is that He loves me with an unconditional, unchanging, eternal, abiding love! 

And He has sent me here – He sent me here, so we must have been somewhere with Him before we came here.  Here – specifically, not randomly, but HERE I am sent.  He sent ME, specifically.  We are here for a reason, not by accident. He knows me. 

Has given me an earthly home – Here is specifies an earthly home, so there must be a heavenly home as well.  He gave it to me.  He made it for me.  He created this Earthly home for ME.  He loves me so He gave it to me.  He has given me everything I have here.  This Earth is home. 

With parents kind and dear – We are placed in families for a reason.  The family is the most basic unit in society.   We are meant to be in family units.  This song doesn’t say He sent me here all alone.  No, we are sent WITH parents kind and dear.  I was placed in the family I am for a very specific purpose.  There was nothing random about that.  They are my parents and I am their earthly daughter for a reason.  My parents have traits that were given to them by a loving Heavenly Father that will enable them to raise and teach me the way Heavenly Father sees best. 

I am a child of God – This means me, personally!! 

And so my needs are great – No one is perfect.  Everyone has needs and everyone makes mistakes.  We are all different, but we all have needs.  Heavenly Father didn’t make anyone of us perfect because He wants us to rely on the Savior, the only perfect man to walk the earth.  Our needs may be great, but Christ’s sacrifice takes those needs and weaknesses and turns them into strengths. 

Help me to understand His words – Understanding His words is an active process that I must be constantly striving for.  He has words.  He has given us words to live by, to guide and direct us, to help us along the way.  We are not left to do this earth thing alone.  I can ask for help.  I can ask for help anytime I want.  He is always there, and WANTS us to understand His words… I just have to ASK!  And He wants us to ask!

Before it grows too late – There will be a time when it IS too late.  Time is a temporary thing.  The time is ever ticking and passing, soon it will be too late to change.  The test is now.  All the changing must occur before that time is up. 

I am a child of God – Each verse starts with this simple statement of truth.  I AM A CHILD OF GOD.  And because I am a child of God….

Rich blessings are in store – Heavenly Father has great things planned and reserved for ME.  They are not only blessings, but RICH blessings.  When I think of rich, I think of abundant.  Prosperous.  Full.  Plentiful.  Well-off.  He has rich blessings for us, because He loves us.  But these blessings are conditional…

If I but learn to do His will – “If” signifies there is a stipulation, a condition that must be met.  These blessings promised are conditional upon us learning, accepting, understanding, following, and applying His will to our lives.  Thus the importance of the aforementioned cry to “Help me to understand His words”!  We not only have to understand His will or know His will, but DO His will.  Doing is an active process!

I’ll live with Him once more – This is our end goal, that “rich blessing” that we are all striving for!  “Once more” suggests that we were with Him before.  We are temporarily away, but we can and will go back!  What a blessing, to be able to live with our Heavenly Father again! The word “live,” testifies that this life isn’t the end, that we will indeed live beyond the grave, that there is life after death!  And we will be living WITH Him.  Not by Him or in the general vicinity of Him, but WITH HIM. 

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me – The chorus is a plea for help from us, as His children, to a loving Father.  We need His leadership, His guidance, and the gift of Him walking right beside us.  That is the beauty of this life- that He WILL walk right beside us.  Again, we are never alone! 

Help me find the way – There is one correct way.  We must find it if we are to be blessed with those things we stand in need of, or that He has in store.  Sometimes it can be tricky to find the way… which is why it is a constant work and effort on our part.  Help is always there.  Again, we just have to ask. 

Teach me all that I must do – Heavenly Father is the greatest teacher.  There are things everyday that we must learn.  We are not saved by faith alone, there are things that we must DO – apply the gospel and the Atonement into our lives.  That’s what we must DO.  MUST.  It’s not optional.  If we want the promised blessings, we have to do things the way Heavenly Father outlined for us to do them.  We are not only Heavenly Father’s children, but also His students.  We are constantly learning from the best teacher, if we will let Him be our teacher.  There are lots of things to learn too.  We must be willing to learn ALL that we must do.  Not just enough to get by or be happy.  But EVERYTHING that is required of us, hard or easy, painful or not, we must do it ALL.  

To live with Him someday – Because this is the beautiful end goal, how appropriate that this line is repeated, and stands as the end of a beautiful song.  We never know when our “someday” will be… but we do know that it will come, sometimes at a time when we least expect it. 

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