Have you ever wondered why you’ve gone through a particular situation? Maybe even asked God? I would wager most if not all of us have at one point or other. Sometimes life and trials just don’t make sense in our short-sighted view. I was reminded this week that the Lord’s vantage point is much greater, and He has the power to work those situations for our good.
Recent scripture study took me to Isaiah 54:11-13. The first verse of that grouping talks about being “afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted”. Pretty good description of life sometimes, right? Then the Lord promises to make “windows of agates”.
Written in the margins of this scripture, I have a note about an article I read years ago from the January/February 2019 LDS Living magazine. The story is about acclaimed stained-glass artist, Tom Holdman and his wife Gayle. It highlights their work for various temples around the world and related miracles they have experienced. It is a wonderful read, but the story about the windows of the San Antonio Texas Temple in particular have stayed with me.
During a preliminary visit to the temple site, Tom expressed his plans to incorporate agate in the designs to a senior construction missionary. Visibly emotional, the missionary proceeded to take Tom to a pile of “very ugly rocks” that had been excavated from the temple site. No one understood why the missionary had kept them, even teasing him about it. Those rocks were agates. The Lord in His eternal foresight provided some of the materials for His house.
I see so much truth in that story. Proof that God can take the ugly piles of rock in our lives and transform them into something of beauty and usefulness. Proof of the impossible. He can transform something that blocks the light into something that actually lets light pour in. He can turn rocks into windows. In a room. In a heart. In a life. He has done it for me.
The article mentions how the miracle sank deeper in Tom’s heart when he came across the Isaiah reference found in 3 Nephi 22:12 about “windows of agates”. If you read the following scripture though, it is even more significant. Verse 13 says “thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children”.
In this recent General Conference, President Nelson taught, “It is significant that the Savior chose to appear to the people at the temple. It is His house. It is filled with His power. Let us never lose sight of what the Lord is doing for us now. He is making His temples more accessible…He is also making it easier for each of us to become spiritually refined. I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can” (emphasis added).
I believe in the Prophet’s promise. I need those blessings. We all do. May the Lord create windows of our rocks.
Here is a link to the digital version of the LDS Living article about Tom Holdman:
Living In The Sweet Spot 