He will gather his people even as a hen – Doctrine and Covenants 29:2 – Come, Follow Me Ponderize and Commentary

Podcast by: Craig Conover

Who will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many as will hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer.

The Roman historian Plutarch taught, “And we have before our eyes every day the manner in which hens care for their brood, drooping their wings for some to creep under, and receiving with joyous and affectionate clucks others that mount upon their backs or run up to them from every direction; and though they flee from dogs and snakes if they are frightened only for themselves, if their fright is for their children, they stand their ground and fight it out beyond their strength.”

Mother hens would rather die protecting their chicks than to protect their own life. How applicable it is, for the Savior to compare Himself to a hen, for He truly fought for and died for us. Through the power of the Father, He was resurrected and now stands at His right hand. The decision to be gathered unto Him is ours.

The words of George Albert Smith will help us make the right decision.

What is the gathering for? Why was it that the Savior wished the children of Israel to gather together? It was that they might become united and provide a place wherein he could reveal unto them keys which have been hid from before the foundation of the world; that he could unfold unto them the laws of exaltation, and make them a kingdom of Priests, even the whole people, and exalt them to thrones and dominions in the celestial world.

We all want this for ourselves, and yet, we are also the only ones holding ourselves back from it. The Lord said, “even as many as WILL hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer. ” We must humble ourselves, pray mightily, and come unto Him.

Doctrine and Covenants 10:64–67
64 Therefore, I will unfold unto them this great mystery;
65 For, behold, I will gather them as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if they will not harden their hearts;
66 Yea, if they will come, they may, and partake of the waters of life freely.
67 Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.

I will close with the words of George Teasdale:

My brethren and sisters: Let us pray to God our Eternal Father; let us make ourselves familiar with His Spirit and the impress thereof; let us, if we have not done so, put our houses in order, remembering that we are living in perilous times, that we are living in the hour of God’s judgment, that we are on the eve of famine, of pestilence, of earthquakes; and it behooves every man and woman professing to be Latter-day Saints to be alive to their duties, to put away all folly, to live humbly and frugally before God, and to prepare for the calamities that are coming upon the earth. We have been warned and forewarned, and I say unto the Latter-day Saints prepare ye, O prepare ye, for the calamities that are at our doors. Let us cease all extravagance; let us remember the children entrusted to our care that they, too, may have something for a day when nothing shall be raised; let us sanctify ourselves before the Lord, striving to do His will and keep His commandments, calling upon Him in mighty prayer (remembering “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much,”).