Skip to main content

9 - 15 Mar - Learn With Joy and Not With Sorrow - Jacob 1 - 4

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...
1 comment

Alma 58 - He Did Speak Peace to Our Souls, and Did Grant Unto Us Great Faith




After petitioning the capital Zarahemla for provisions and reinforcements, Helaman and his army waited for months without word or assistance. We "did wait in these difficult circumstances for the space of many months, even until we were about to perish for the want of food" (Alma 58:7). Even when they did receive some meager rations, they they did not know "the cause of these our embarrassments, or the cause why they did not send more strength unto us, we knew not; therefore we were grieved and also filled with fear" (Alma 58:9). In such anxious times it would have been easy for Helaman and his soldiers to lose faith and slacken their efforts in defending their lands. Instead, Helaman and his soldiers prayed for strength in response to their disconcerting and challenging circumstances.

"Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him. And we did take courage with our small force which we had received, and were fixed with a determination to conquer our enemies, and to maintain our lands, and our possessions, and our wives, and our children, and the cause of our liberty. And thus we did go forth with all our might against the Lamanites" (Alma 58:11-13).

Heleman received assurances from God that gave him peace, increased his faith, allowed for hope. This reassurance made space for courage and gratitude even though Helaman had only received a small force. These feelings from God not only assuaged anxious and turbulent emotions, but also motivated Helaman and his band to "go forth with all our might." Faith is a gift from God granted in response to our urgent pleading. When we possess faith, we feel hopeful and courageous. We are willing to do hard things. We take action with assurance, as if the task before us is has already been completed and proven worthwhile. What would you do if you knew you could not fail? What would you try if you knew that the outcome--good or bad--would be consecrated for your good?

While they received spiritual assurances that God would help them, they still did "not know the cause that the government does not grant us more strength" (Alma 58:34). Their energy and optimism did not come from a concrete expectations of military reinforcements. They were not naive to the fact that many would be wounded or killed. Their faith was rooted in a knowledge that their efforts would be worth it, and even in death they would be okay. "They have received many wounds; nevertheless they stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free; and they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day; yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come" (Alma 58:40).

Helaman and his army did the had work of obedience because of their conviction in good things to come. Like the Old Testament heroes described in Hebrews chapter 11, "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13). When we believe and embrace God's promises and recognize that our life on earth is only temporary, we can find renewed resolve to follow God and keep His commandments.


Application Questions

On what goals are you "fixed with  determination?" How do you stay motivated when you lack information and/or assurances?

What would you do if you knew you could not fail? What would you try if you knew that the outcome--good or bad--would be consecrated for your good?

What fears or reservations keep you from strengthening your relationship with God and investing in His kingdom?


Image Credit: aperigae.com


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

1 Nephi 17 - That I May Find Ore to Molten, That I May Make Tools

Nephi is given the daunting task of constructing a ship to carry his family across the ocean. Like Nephi, the Lord asks us to do things that are beyond our current knowledge and ability with a promise that he will help us: "And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them ( 1 Nephi 17:3 ) From the experience of Nephi and his family, we can also see that the Lord grants us joy in our trials and certainty in his direction when we follow his commandments. When Nephi and his family reached the seashore, a brief respite before crossing the ocean, they enjoyed the break and celebrated their progress: "Notwithstanding we had suffered many afflictions and much difficulty, yea, even so much that we cannot write them all, we were exceedingly rejoiced when we came to the seashore; and we called the place Bountiful, because of its m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Mosiah 16 - Speaking of Things to Come as Though They Had Already Come

Abinidi explains how Christ's atonement heals and redeems the righteous, while the wicked remain in their sins to be judged. The remarkable thing to me about Abinidi's teachings, and the teachings of all the Book of Mormon prophets who lived before Christ, is their level of conviction in what where, at the time, future events. Christ had not come yet. They looked forward to the ministry and atonement of Christ and were fully persuaded of its reality and the eternal impact it would have. It is hard enough to believe in Christ and follow His teachings after the fact, even with records of His life, and hundreds of millions of people who share a belief in Christ's divinity. But all that Abinidi and other prophets of his time had were their own revelations and inspiration from the Spirit.  Abinidi also alludes to Christ's own faith saying, "now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there coul...
Post a Comment
Read more

Matthew 6 - Consider the Lilies of the Field

They Have Their Reward I've alway been a pragmatist when it comes to serving others. My attitude is that regardless of the purity of our motivations, it is better to serve someone than to not. I don't think Christ's teaching in the sermon on the mount necessarily contradict that notion, but He does teach a higher, holier way of being. He warns the hypocrites who give alms, pray, and fast for public recognition that they will not receive the blessings they might otherwise merit. He doesn't condemn service with impure motives, but simply warns that those who hypocritically do good for impure motives "have their reward" (Matthew 6:2, 5, 16).  In so many instances, we get to choose the spiritual outcomes of our lives. Even in the final judgment, we will not be  assigned to glory or punishment as much as we will  self-select based on our level of comfort. If we have not been transformed by the power of Christ we will not desire to be in his presence. ...
Post a Comment
Read more