God Bless,
Pennie
Look and Live
It is amazing to me that the Spirit can convey a truth to my mind so fluidly in a matter of seconds. But yet I feel it would take up a whole “fireside” to share it with others.
Today after church I had the thought that if people today would just look to the Savoir, then they would live. The story of the Israelites flashed through my mind, how the people had but to look to the brass serpent lifted up on the staff. But because of the easiness of it many failed to follow the simple instructions.
I thought o fall the pain I see in the world today. Why don’t they just look?
Then my mind went to a scene of a concentration camp prison type situation where many suffered pains of slavery. I have before thought that if people in their situation of captivity would just look, then they would live. Victor Frankl said that the last human freedom that no man can ever take away is the thought we choose to have. The parents of the stripling warriors in the Book of Mormon did this in their early days of conversion and they KNEW that God would deliver them. Not only would He (as in future tense) but that He was the only one that COULD. No other power could lift them up out of their bed of affliction. They were in fact delivered first spiritually, so that they could not feel their burdens upon their backs. Then they, after having proven their submission to the Lord, were delivered physically. Having the Savior’s teachings and promises burned into their hearts, they knew He would deliver them. Their faith was firm, fixed and riveted. They did not doubt. They held their minds firm on the hope of deliverance. I’m sure at times by sheer will power alone. They gave their hearts to His will. They the fruits of their faith were rewarded after they watched and waited as Joshua did for the walls of Jericho
Then my mind flashed to another scene at the bar of God where we will report the actions of our lives. I thought of how painful it would be to see my sins in the visual presence of my Perfect Redeemer and my Heavenly Father who anxiously awaited my return. I know he wants so much to be proud of me, and yet I see my sins. Then the Holy Ghost spoke to my mind reiterating all the training and practice that it took to look and live through all my trials. Could it be so simple? Is that what all that pain was for? To get me to look to my Savoir and learn to trust in the power of His redeeming blood to wash all my sins white as snow? IS that what I must do now is trust Him? Trust that He CAN do all that He says He will do? I believe it is that simple. We have trials and pains in this life: to mold us, to temper us, and to teach us to trust and to have faith. The Savoir wants us to come to Him so He can deliver us, to lift our burdens and bring us our to our pit so we can sing a new song of redeeming love. His invitation is still available to you and to me. Will you? Will I choose in the moment of pain to look and live?
Often times clarifying moments like these make the path clear. But when that moment of choice comes we must again be tested as we walk through the fog. I had a thought the other day that Lehi’s dream must have been like that for Him. Often time in my dreams everything is clear and makes sense, but when I wake up and try to explain my dream to someone else it doesn’t seem to make any sense at all.
When Nephi saw Lehi’s dream I’m sure the parable was perfectly clear. In our world today, it doesn’t seem to be so clear. It’s almost as if this image were like a double exposed picture where one image lays on top of the other one. In order to gain understanding of this perfect picture that animates our world today, that we must keep it in our minds as we walk through the days. If we pray as Nephi to understand what Lehi saw, we too can see with clarity. This journey of spiritual discernment is available to all who are willing to pay their ‘last farthing’ (Robin Hood) – that which is most sincere and deep – our true hearts and a commitment to use what we get; to obey what we learn.
Will we desire this path? Will we look and live? Is our pain desperate enough or have we exhausted all other possibilities to realize that there truly is no other way? Are we willing to give our last penny to the Lord and pay the price necessary to allow Him to lift us out of our pit?
How far will the road lead before we decide we will try it His way?
I love this little clip on Mormon Messages! I hope you do too.
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?autoplay=true&index=1&locale=0&sourceId=b54655c9566ec210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=bd163ca6e9aa3210VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD
I love this little clip on Mormon Messages! I hope you do too.
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I love to hear your ideas and thoughts. Thanks for sharing in the Joy of Learning. It truly fills my heart! -Pennie