Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome. Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4). This priority was not only reflecte
Because of Jacob's love for his people, he boldly warned of sin. "And now I, Jacob, spake many more things unto the people of Nephi,
warning them against fornication and lasciviousness, and every kind of sin,
telling them the awful consequences of them (Jacob 3:12).
Envisioning the people of Nephi congregated to hear the words of Jacob I can't help but think of the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints happening this weekend. Because of the time difference, most members in Asia won't watch until next weekend, but I can feel the excitement to hear the words of a prophet across time zones and half a world away. Jacob counseled his people to "Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with
exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead
your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction. O all
ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of
God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever"
( Jacob 3:1-2)
Jacob promised his people that if their minds were firm they could receive the word of God and feast on his love forever.
Lift up Your Heads
What does "lifting our heads" look like? How do we arouse our faculties and concentrate our focus on receiving the pleasing word of God? I can imagine crowded streets with hundreds of people bustling by with heads down, or waiting at bus stops scrolling on their phones. They are thinking about their next meeting, and what they will make for dinner, and whether their family is as cute and happy as the posts they see in their feed. Usually it would take a loud and startling noise, or a huge gust of cold wind to pull the masses out of this trance. We can choose to lift our heads by quieting the hum of our daily routine and setting aside distractions. The problem is not that our brains cannot focus, but that they are specifically designed to focus on one thing.
Receive the Pleasing Word of God
We got a package from Bren's parents the other day. Because of some confusion regarding the value of the contents, it was a three day process negotiating with Taiwan customs before we received the package without having to pay hefty duty fees. This brought into high focus for me the difference between someone sending us a package, and receiving a package. Receiving means we actually take the pleasing word of God into ourselves. We remove any obstacles keeping the word from our hearts, we peel back tape and open cardboard flaps, and pull out packaging. If necessary, we fill out customs declaration forms and make phone calls, and solicit the assistance of expert coworkers. The point is not about our actions, but the outcome. Until the word has become a part of us, written on the fleshy tablets of our heart, we still have work to do to fully "receive" the pleasing word.
Feast upon His Love
Jacob uses food as a metaphor for God's love to remind us that the love of God is nourishing and life-giving. Not only are we instructed to eat, or partake of God's love, we are encouraged to feast upon it. Merriam Webster defines a feast as "an elaborate and usually abundant meal often accompanied by a ceremony or entertainment" and "something that gives unusual or abundant enjoyment." The dictionary also offers a secondary definition of "a periodic religious observance commemorating an event or honoring a deity, person, or thing." I love this definition's emphasis on abundant enjoyment, for God's love is truly delicious. I am struck for the first time, though, that feast are periodic, and usually accompanied by ceremony. I thinking of the weekly ritual of the sacrament, a spiritual feast of bread and water. Of course, I think of General Conference. I also reflect on the family traditions that Bren and I are trying to create. Not that they need to be "elaborate," but I wonder how we can help these "periodic observances" stand apart from everyday routine. How can Family Home Evenings, annual father's blessings, birthday parties, and Christmas be filled with "abundant enjoyment" and help our children feast upon the love of God?
If Your Minds Are Firm
Looking at other verses in the Book of Mormon that use the word "firm" to describe our minds, our faith, and our hope, it seems to denote a deliberate commitment. It is having mind that is decided, and displays immovable confidence. As a result, a firm mind is consistent, strong, and resilient to challenges. It is a mind that is made up. Jacob highlights that the only limiting factor for us receiving the pleasing word of God and feasting upon his love is the condition of our own minds. Making and remaking the commitment to pursue spiritual knowledge leads to eternal growth.
Application
What are your family traditions? How can you make them a venue to build faith and testimony?
Are there obstacles preventing you from fully receiving the word of God? What can you do to remove them?
What is distracting you from focusing on higher spiritual things? Can you quiet or eliminate them?
Image Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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