“Living by faith is not living blindly, but living in such a way to experience and know what is real. The knowledge gained by exercising faith is not abstract and impersonal, but experiential and lived knowledge.” This was the message shared by Sister Jennifer Lane, Associate Academic Vice President for Curriculum, concerning living a life that is bound to faith and knowledge in her Devotional address, “Faith in the Redemption,” on Tuesday, January 15, 2013.
Sister Lane began by recounting an experience from her first year of college. It was fall, and nearing the time of LDS Church General Conference. Due to a lack of satellite receivers, the closest stake center broadcasting General Conference was four miles away. With no transportation possibilities, Sister Lane awoke early and walked alone, four miles, to attend the conference. “When you’re out on your own it can be easy to take a Sunday off when no one is looking for you or expecting you. Likewise, being in an elite academic environment can potentially diminish interest in a life of faith and things of the Spirit,” Sister Lane said. “In that transformative Fall semester, by choosing to exercise faith in the promise of a prophet I gained experiential knowledge of the power of the Christ’s redemption. I began to experience and know the reality of doctrines that I have continued to study and tried to live for the last almost twenty-five years of my life.”
After receiving a Bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in Philosophy, a master’s degree in Ancient Near Eastern Studies, and a Ph.D. in Religion, Sister Lane noted that, “It is not uncommon for the academic study of Religion to erode faith in God, precisely because it is an academic study, based on the things that can be known through the senses and reason, the only resources available to the academic world. Just as I marvel that I walked four miles by myself to watch General Conference at the age of 17, I marvel and give thanks to God that my experience in graduate school not only did not erode my testimony, but instead deepened my knowledge of the gospel."
Through her studies and faith Sister Lane was able to recognize the blessing of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “Knowing that God lives and knowing that we can know are tremendous gifts. The knowledge that I have that there is a loving God and that he has manifest his nature to us through Christ and restored his power through the Prophet Joseph Smith comes through personal revelation, but also through the knowledge of experience. I can stand as a witness of the redemption of Christ because I know that I am different because of his power. “
Sister Lane closed her address by promising, “Faith in the redemption is a way of life. It is the path of discipleship. As Elder Theodore Tuttle promised, it is the 'one thing that gives vitality and power to otherwise rather weak individuals.’ Christ is the source of life and light. As we trust him we will follow him and have experiences with the reality of his redeeming power. As we live with faith in Christ we will come to know Christ.”
See Sister Jennifer Lane’s complete Devotional address from January 15, 2013.
University Devotionals are held each Tuesday at 11 AM in the Cannon Activities Center. Previous Devotionals can be viewed or read at http://devotional.byuh.edu/.