Doctrine and Covenants 6: Where To Focus Our Lives

If all we had in the Doctrine and Covenants was the revelation in section 6 given to Oliver Cowdery and the Prophet Joseph, then we would still be richly blessed.  Though personal to Oliver, yet it still contains powerful instructions for all those who seek to follow Jesus Christ, helping us in particular to learn what to focus on this life.  One of those areas of focus that we are to have is to seek knowledge from God.  We are told first to ask: “If you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you” (v5).  The Lord invites us to seek for knowledge from Him instead of the things of the world: “Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you” (v7).  We can know God’s mysteries if we will seek them: “And if thou wilt inquire, thou shalt know mysteries which are great and marvelous; therefore thou shalt exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries” (v11).  Oliver was told how he indeed had received divine instruction already: “Thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit….  Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth” (v14-15).  One of the messages of this revelation is that we should seek to receive instruction and knowledge from the Spirit of the Lord, and that if we truly desire it we will indeed receive it. 

               A second area of focus for our lives that this revelation gives us is serving others.  We are invited to participate in the “great and marvelous work” of bringing the gospel to God’s children and doing good unto them.  All who desire so to serve others by sharing the gospel are called to the work: “Whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts” (v3).  By so serving we can “bring many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, convince them of the error of their ways” (v11).  If we truly desire it, we can do great things to bless the lives of God’s children: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be unto you; and if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation” (v8).  We are invited three times to “do good” to bless God’s children: “Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.  Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good” (v13, 33-34).  One of our greatest desires should be to do good in this generation to bring the blessings of the gospel to all those we can. 

               A final area of focus taught by this revelation is the Savior Himself.  He invites us, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not” (v36).  Though we may not see Him now with our physical eyes, He still wants us to constantly see Him with our eyes of faith: “Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet” (v37).  Our minds should be continually turned to Him.  He testified also in this revelation concerning who He is: “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the same that came unto mine own, and mine own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not” (v21).  He is the light we are to look to in this life, focusing on Him in all that we do.  With that focus, He promises us, “I will encircle thee in the arms of my love” (v20).  In all we do we must turn to the Lord as our light.  This revelation is a powerful invitation to focus our lives on the Savior, seeking knowledge from God and doing good among the children of men.  If those become the central quest for our life then surely we will “treasure up for [our] soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God” (v3).