I would like to share a short lesson that stood out to me this week while studying Come, Follow Me. In D&C 60: 5, 8, and 14 the Lord instructs the pairs of missionaries to leave Missouri and return to Ohio. Twice He tells them to "return speedily" but "not in haste." So how do you find the right balance between these two seemingly contradictory directives?
While listening to the podcast "Unshaken Saints", the host gave a wonderful example of how Jesus was able to do this exact thing. He pointed out that in Mark 5:22-43, Jesus has been called on a "911 emergency call" by Jairus to come heal his daughter who is on her death bed. But, as Jesus is rushing to help this little girl, a "certain women which had an issue of blood" (v. 25) reaches out and touches His clothes. In the midst of His hurry to heal Jairus' daughter, He stops to bless and minister to this woman. He says to her "Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague" (v. 34).
The lesson I learned from this is to not be so focused on the end goal that we don't take some time to help others or to enjoy the journey along the way. Even though Christ was being crowded by people on His way to heal Jairus's daughter, he felt something different happen to Him when His clothes were touched by this woman. He felt that "virtue had gone out of him" (v 30). It is important to stay in tune with the Spirit so that when a multitude of good things are coming our way, we can know which of those thing is important enough for us to slow down and heed the direction that we are given.
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