Organize yourselves...

Last night our "Scripture Picture," as we like to call it with our boys, was a picture of the Kirtland Temple, and this verse:

Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.     -Doctrine & Covenants 88:119

My first thought was this: "Ouch! That does not describe my house!" I have never been really good at organizing, but I don't think I have ever had things as bad as they are currently. I just can't seem to get things cleaned and put away, and EVERYTHING in this house needs a scrub-down. Sometimes I really can't get to it, and other times I just don't feel motivated to work on it.

But as I was telling the boys about the temple I envisioned the cleanliness and beauty and order of that place and knew I needed to create that environment here for them. There is a really important reason for doing so in the next verse:

That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord; that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High.   -Doctrine & Covenants 88:120

In short, Christ cannot be the focus if we are surrounded by mess and distraction. The Spirit can't dwell where there is dirt and disorder. That seems like reason enough to get myself going when I am lacking energy.

But if that isn't enough, here is an interesting thought: our Father is an expert organizer!  He organized all of the intelligences before the world was (Abraham 3:22). He organized the heavens and the earth (Abraham 4:1). He organized man's mortal body (Abraham 4:27)--and if you've studied the human body, that really is something amazing! So it is no surprise that God asks His people to organize according to His laws under His covenant. As we do so, we learn important skills necessary to become like He is.