Whom Seekest Thou?

To my son,

               When Mary Magdalene first saw the Savior at the tomb, she didn’t recognize Him. He said this to her: “Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?” Of course, her greatest desire was to be with the Savior. She replied: “Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.” He then replied with one word: “Mary” (John 20:13-16). She instantly knew that it was the Savior. It was beyond anything she could have hoped for. He had died and yet there He was standing before her speaking to her. It must have been almost incomprehensible. His question to her is one that is important for all of us and one I believe He would say to each of us: “Whom sleekest thou?” Or, put another way, “What do you want?” He asked a similar question near the start of His ministry when people were starting to follow Him. John recorded, “And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?” (John 1:37-38) Again, Jesus asked them what they were seeking. They responded that they wanted to follow Him, and His response was simple, “Come and see.” John continues the story, “They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour” (John 1:39). They wanted to know where He was and to abide with Him. The question of Jesus to them is the same that He would ask to you and me: “What seek ye?” What do we really want most? He invites us to seek after Him, and if we do, He will abide with us. If our desire is to find Him, we will.  

               Other scriptures similarly invite us to seek Him with a promise that He will be with us. He invited His disciples shortly before His death: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). He put it this way in our dispensation: “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:63). As we strive to draw near to Him, He promises to be with us. But how do we do that? Another scripture helps us understand what it takes to draw near to Him: “Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:1). What an incredible promise that the Lord has given us. As we seek Him by striving to repent of our sins, to pray in His name, and to obey His commandments, He promises that we will see His face and know Him. I hope that you and I can decide that what we want to seek is Him and strive to draw near to Him each day. As we do, I know that we can feel the “joy of [His] countenance” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:53). 

Love,

Dad