This past week I was reading in 2 Nephi, and I came across this phrase: “My heart doth magnify His holy name” (2 Nephi 25:13). This phrase caught my attention, and I started wondering how a person does magnify Christ’s holy name in their hearts.
It seems to me that a person who magnifies Christ’s name in their heart is also someone who knows Christ deeply. Someone who recognizes Christ in each day, invites Him in, and always wants to know Him better. It takes time to become this kind of person, and honestly, it’s probably a life-long effort. It only takes small efforts to help us all magnify His name a little more in our hearts. Here are a few ideas to help us invite Him in more this week:
5 Ways to Magnify Christ’s Name in Your Heart
1. Study Christ’s Names
I’m a strong believer in the power of words. Names, in particular, can hold so much meaning and insight into a person. This is especially true of Christ. All of His many names were chosen for their very specific meanings, like Immanuel which means “God is with us.” And many of His names are highly symbolic, like Living Water which tells us that He is essential for our spiritual survival.
A study of Christ’s names can teach you about His character, His mission, His love, and His power. This knowledge can help you understand Him better than you ever have. However, it’s also important to recognize that this knowledge is not enough by itself.
The more we learn about Christ, the more we are expected to act. As you learn about Him from a study of His names or characteristics or whatever it is that you’ve chosen to study about Him, you also need to work to apply what you’ve learned. For example, if you studied Immanuel, you could try picturing Christ with you in everything you do. Or if you studied Living Water, you could assess your life for spiritual dehydration and decide how to invite Him into those areas of your life that need His healing touch.
Find a study and an application that works for you. While I highly recommend studying Christ’s names, you may feel the need to study other things about Christ as well, like His interactions with people in the Old Testament or attributes He displays. Most important is to study and do what the Holy Spirit directs you to do. Your desire and obedience will magnify Christ in your life and heart in a way that helps you rely on Him more fully.
2. Talk of Christ Often
If we want to magnify Christ in our lives, then we ought to talk about Him more. Discussing Christ with others is a great way to learn. Our testimonies can have a powerful impact on others, and sharing them helps us strengthen our resolve as well.
Talking often of Christ can also make Him more front-of-mind in our lives. We can remember Him better, recognize Him more, and enjoy His influence in our lives when He is such an immediate focus and subject of conversation for us.
I love what Elder Andersen said,
As the world speaks less of Jesus Christ, let us speak more of Him. As our true colors as His disciples are revealed, many around us will be prepared to listen.
Elder Neil L. Andersen, “We Talk of Christ,” October 2020
We can bring others to Christ. We can talk about Him and be open with others about our faith in Him. Even if the people we talk to also believe in Christ, we can all strengthen each other’s faith by talking of Christ more.
3. Ask for Christ’s Aid and Mercy
This came to mind for me because I think this is something Nephi did a lot. Nephi had to deal with a lot of family contention, with the physical strain of a long journey, and with obstacles that could have easily overwhelmed him. But I love that Nephi’s first instinct is to ask God for help. Nephi trusted in Christ and His Atonement, and that trust made it possible for Christ to support Nephi throughout his life. It’s no wonder that Nephi was later able to pen the words “my heart doth magnify His holy name” because he made magnifying Christ’s name his most important practice.
When we turn to Christ the way Nephi did, by asking for His mercy and help, we actively invite Christ to work in our lives for our improvement and benefit. That doesn’t mean we won’t struggle through trials – we will – but we won’t do it alone.
Christ fulfilled His Atonement for this exact purpose – to help us overcome sin and to succor us through our struggles. The power of His Atonement fills our lives the moment we start to seek Christ’s help with real intent. And as Christ is invited to be more active in our lives, as we come to rely on Him more, our hearts will magnify Him.
4. Dedicate Time and Talents to Christ
Willingness to give ourselves to our Savior can help magnify Him in our hearts as well. Each of us has talents and abilities that we can use to worship Christ and bring others to Him. Even if those skills don’t seem to obviously lend themselves to worship, we can find ways to invite Christ in and use our talents to further His work.
Giving Christ our time also helps our hearts to magnify Him. When we throw our time with Him to the last minute, when we rush through things without thought of Him, and when we’re so distracted that He never crosses our thoughts, our hearts can’t magnify Him, let alone serve Him with full intent. Time is a valuable resource, and it ought to be spent on the most valuable things. Nothing is more important than our God.
Whatever time you choose to set aside for Him should be protected. It doesn’t have to be first thing in the morning, and it can even be at the end of the day. But make sure it’s a time when you can be fully present to learn from and about Him.
5. Obey Christ’s Commandments
One of the clearest ways we can show our love for Christ and allow our hearts to magnify His name in our lives is to obey Christ’s commandments. As Christ Himself said,
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:15, KJV
Our hearts magnify Christ as we grow our love for Him, and our love for Him grows as we keep His commandments. His commandments are law, and we need the commandments for our growth and protection. Obedience to His commandments also helps us grow our faith, trusting that as we do what Christ has asked us to do, we will receive more of His Spirit in our lives. We will know Him better and be able to serve Him better.
What have you found that helps you magnify Christ more in your life? I think there are so many individual ways for us to magnify Him in our hearts and to grow to be more like Him. Take some time this week to decide one thing you can do to magnify Him more in your heart. His power will strengthen you and your desire to act.
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