A Brand New Bicycle

I loved Mark's lesson tonight. I'm so grateful for the atonement. I love that I can learn new things about the gospel and get reminders of truths I've known for a while. The parable of the bicycle has always been one of those good parables that just "made sense" to me and I've embraced it as a great illustration of the how the atonement works in my life. Recently I've been really overwhelmed with school and with life in general, and that process tends to bring out my shortcomings even more strongly. Hearing the talk tonight from Brad Wilcox really added a new dimension of understanding to my knowledge of the atonement. I loved this part of the talk where the Bishop visits the returned missionary at his apartment:


The young man said, “I thought it was like buying a bike. I pay all I can and then Jesus
pays the rest.” I said, “I love Brother Robinson’s parable. He has helped us all see that there are two essential parts that must be completed, but I think of it more like this: Jesus already
bought the whole bike. The few coins he asks from me are not so much to help pay for
the bike, but rather to help me value it and appreciate it.”

I am so thankful that the Savior has already "bought my bicycle" so to speak. I don't have to feel the weight of my shortcomings and weaknesses as long as I am faithfully repenting and offering my few coins.

I also love the idea of using the phrase "an inexhaustible Atonement." I was particularly impressed by this as well because I find myself repenting for the shortcomings I have quite frequently (my learning curve is obviously not very steep). Here's what he said in the talk:


Our friend Brett Sanders once pointed out a lesson to be learned when a new priest is
blessing the sacrament. He is nervous and messes up when reading the prayer. He
knows the prayers have to be perfect and that expectation can’t be lowered. So what
happens when the priest makes a mistake? He looks at the bishop, who nods his head
and the priest simply begins again. What if he stumbles a second time or a third? Does
he finally just give up or is there a trap door that opens and he falls through? No. He just
starts again. How many times? As many times as it takes to get it right...

Perhaps that is a good word for the Atonement as well—the inexhaustible Atonement. We hear many words associated with the Atonement. We hear it is infinite, eternal, everlasting, perfect, divine, incomprehensible, inexplicable, and even personal and individual. However, there is another word that must be more closely associated with the Atonement if we are ever
going to be able to maintain hope in this world full of addictions. And that word is continuous—the continuous Atonement.

Great lesson, Mark. I guess you'd better watch out because a good lesson can only mean one thing - another assignment for the lesson soon! :)

Have a good night everyone...