Michael T Ringwood | For God So Loved Us | April 2022 General Conference | Faith To Act

For God So Loved Us
By Elder Michael T. Ringwood

Of the Seventy

God so loved us that He sent His Only Begotten Son—not to condemn us, but to save us.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The first time I noticed this verse, I was not at church or in family home evening. I was watching a sporting event on television. No matter what station I watched, and no matter what game it was, at least one person held a sign that read “John 3:16.”

I have come to equally love verse 17: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

God sent Jesus Christ, His only Son in the flesh, to lay down His life for every one of us. This He did because He loves us and designed a plan for each of us to return home to Him.

But this is not a blanket, catchall, hit-or-miss sort of plan. It is personal, set forth by a loving Heavenly Father, who knows our hearts, our names, and what He needs us to do. Why do we believe that? Because we are taught it in the holy scriptures.

Moses repeatedly heard Heavenly Father speak the words “Moses, my son” (see Moses 1:6; see also verses 7, 40). Abraham learned he was a child of God, chosen for his mission even before he was born (see Abraham 3:12, 23). By the hand of God, Esther was placed in a position of influence to save her people (see Esther 4). And God trusted a young woman, a servant, to testify of a living prophet so Naaman could be healed (see 2 Kings 5:1–15).

I especially love that good man, short in stature, who climbed a tree to see Jesus. The Savior knew he was there, stopped, looked up into the branches, and spoke these words: “Zacchaeus, … come down” (Luke 19:5). And we cannot forget the 14-year-old who went into a grove of trees and learned how personal the plan really is: “[Joseph,] this is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17).

Brothers and sisters, we are the focus of Heavenly Father’s plan and the reason for our Savior’s mission. Each of us, individually, is Their work and Their glory.

To me, no book of scripture illustrates this more clearly than has my study of the Old Testament. Chapter after chapter we discover examples of how Heavenly Father and Jehovah are intimately involved in our lives.

We have recently been studying about Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob. From his youth, Joseph was highly favored of the Lord, yet he experienced great trials at the hands of his brothers. Two weeks ago, many of us were touched by how Joseph forgave his brothers. In Come, Follow Me we read: “In many ways, Joseph’s life parallels that of Jesus Christ. Even though our sins caused Him great suffering, the Savior offers forgiveness, delivering all of us from a fate far worse than famine. Whether we need to receive forgiveness or extend it—at some point we all need to do both—Joseph’s example points us to the Savior, the true source of healing and reconciliation.”1

A lesson I love in that account comes from Joseph’s brother Judah, who played a part in God’s personal plan for Joseph. When Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, Judah convinced them not to take Joseph’s life but to sell him into slavery (see Genesis 37:26–27).

Many years later, Judah and his brothers needed to take their youngest brother, Benjamin, to Egypt. Initially their father resisted. But Judah made a promise to Jacob—he would bring Benjamin home.

In Egypt, Judah’s promise was put to the test. Young Benjamin was wrongly accused of a crime. Judah, true to his promise, offered to be jailed in Benjamin’s place. “For,” he said, “how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me?” (see Genesis 44:33–34). Judah was determined to keep his promise and return Benjamin safely. Do you ever feel about others the way Judah felt toward Benjamin?

General Conference Sunday Morning Session April 2022

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