08: BUILDING ZION

photo taken from the top floor of ZIONS BANK.

This was written by a friend of mine with permission to post.


“Zion is not in our power to create or build, except as we individually repent, be baptized and come to the Lord individually (especially for us Gentiles).  The Lord will take care of Zion...it is His to build...not ours.  We have never been given any kind of deadline or time line to create it...can't be done.  We can only create the image of it , which might be fine, but it can't come before the "first thing,” or our hearts. We won't find Zion in spending billions "fixing up" downtown SLC, in order that our self-proclaimed sacred places won't be defiled. This is not Zion, for Zion is not to be protected by the influx of large sums of money to pretty it up. The Lord will dwell there (literally) and will sustain and protect it (the inhabitants). The shadow by day, and pillar by night. We desperately want Zion (and who can blame us, we really do want peace and beauty), but we think to create it by our own hand, works, and money, and not in the Lord's way (by literally seeking his face out). This is the only way for us Gentiles to "get in."  This is difficult and appears to distract us from building it. Nothing is further from the truth. Zion is, after all, like the definition of "the church."  It is found wherever one has entertained the Lord. And here's where we see truth from darkness: can Zion be built in such a way as to desire to "exclude?”  Indeed not. The pure in heart do not wish to exalt themselves. They wish to descend below all in service.  This is a good indicator, I think. Such attitudes of service and descending below all are the hallmark of those who would follow Him and live in Zion. But we feign those attitudes. "Here we come, to the rescue!" We have this serious need to affirm to ourselves that we are in fact "doing the real thing," that we indeed have Zion, that we can actually reach out and rescue others (implying we ourselves are saved).  I'm not so sure we are/do.”