The Lord Will Deliver Us

"Nephi Bound" by Jeremy Windborg

There were many Sundays growing up when my family would gather on the couch to watch Charlton Heston play the part of Moses in The Ten Commandments. We watched a lot of westerns, so we knew Yul Brynner, who played the part of Ramses, was a formidable opponent. Though the movie doesn’t follow the scriptural account perfectly, we were always impressed by Joshua’s courage, disgusted with Dathan’s lack of values, disappointed in the hardness of the Pharoah’s heart, and amazed by the miracles the Lord used to deliver his people from Egypt.

Because we knew the story of Moses well, it became a standard for the faith we should have in our family. When difficult challenges came along, a parent or a sibling might say something like, “If the Lord could deliver the Israelites, don’t you think He can help you with the challenge you have now?”

Nephi gave the same encouragement to his murmuring brothers. They had left their home and all their precious things behind. Now, near the same Red Sea that the Lord parted to deliver the Israelites, they were commanded to return for the brass plates. Laman and Lemuel did not believe they could succeed, but Nephi urged them to have faith in the Lord. “Therefore let us go up;” he said, “let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of captivity, on dry ground… Now behold ye know that this is true… wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians” (1 Nephi 4:2-3).

As readers of Nephi’s ancient record, we are promised in the introductory first chapter that Nephi would show us “that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1 Nephi 1:20). We then learn that not only did the Lord deliver Nephi and his brothers from Laban through Nephi’s faithful action, but Nephi’s family was delivered from Jerusalem before it was destroyed because of the faith of his father, Zoram was delivered from servitude because of his faith in what Nephi taught him, Nephi was faithfully delivered from his brothers’ frequent persecutions, and future Gentiles, including many of our ancestors, would act on the promptings of the spirit to be delivered from captivity and cross the sea from Europe to the Americas.

In one of my favorite stories, Nephi, who says he was large in stature, is bound with cords. With his physical strength neutralized, Nephi’s strong faith won’t allow him to lose hope. He simply knows the Lord will deliver him, though he doesn’t seem to know exactly how, so he prays, “O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me the strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound” (1 Nephi 7:17).

Like Nephi, and maybe a lot of other guys, there are times when the only way I can see out of a dilemma is if I were to turn into some kind of superhero with the incredible strength of Superman or the Hulk. Nephi knew the Lord could do it; and undoubtedly the Lord could have answered Nephi’s prayer in this way. Instead, the Lord, whose ways are higher and often more subtle than our ways, answered Nephi’s prayer for deliverance by loosening the cords that held him captive.

Through Nephi’s life, the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt, other stories in the Book of Mormon, and often in our own lives, we can observe at least seven different ways the Lord delivers us. We are delivered when our own hearts are softened, as Nephi’s heart was softened to believe the words of his father (1 Nephi 2:16). Sometimes others’ hearts are softened, like the Pharoah’s daughter who retrieved Moses from the river and was moved to raise him as her own (Exodus 2:1-10).

The Lord can deliver us with strength to bear our physical, mental and emotional burdens, like the women in Nephi’s family who were able to bear, nurse and raise their children in the wilderness. The Lord can also give us a way to escape, especially when we pray to escape temptation, even if it means parting a metaphorical Red Sea to help us keep His commandments.

We can be delivered through inspiration to find a solution, as Nephi’s family was delivered from hunger when he learned how to craft a new bow. Or we may be delivered by someone else’s inspiration to help us, as Jethro was inspired to help Moses learn to delegate authority or Laman and Lemuel were inspired to help Nephi build a ship.

Finally, the Lord can deliver us from uncertainty, worry and fear through His miraculous power. The Lord blessed the Israelites with manna from heaven and water from the rock. He sent an angel to deliver Nephi from his abusive brothers. President Nelson has promised that “as [we] choose to let God prevail in [our] lives, [we] will experience for [ourselves] that our God is ‘a God of miracles’ (Mormon 9:11).”

Nephi also wrote so that we could find another kind of deliverance: “For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved” (1 Nephi 6). In this purpose, Nephi is joined by all of the prophets who wrote upon the pages that became the Book of Mormon.

Mormon himself testified that the Book of Mormon was written to persuade those in our day “that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God,” that the biblical record of Christ’s ministry and Atonement are true, and that we should “repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and lay hold upon the gospel of Christ” (Mormon 5:14-15, 7:7-9). If we do this, we can be delivered from death and hell and “it shall be well with [us] in the day of judgment” (Moroni 7:10).

Nephi had experience with this kind of deliverance. He lamented that, “Notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins” (2 Nephi 4:17-19).

“Nevertheless,” he continues, “I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh. He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me. Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time” (2 Nephi 4:19-23).

Perhaps Nephi is the first author in the Book of Mormon so that we will know his story well and his faith can become a standard for the faith we should have in our lives. Like Nephi, our hearts have groaned because of our sins and we have struggled with some of the challenges that come into our lives. Nevertheless, as we let God prevail in our lives, He will deliver us as He delivered the children of Israel and as He delivered Nephi. He will deliver us from our own hard hearts and from others’ harmful intentions. He will calm our anxieties and help us escape temptation. He will deliver us from our unbelief and ignorance, our sin, and our regret. He will help us to have the courage of Joshua and to overcome even the most formidable of the opponents to our salvation.

Continue in the Things Which Thou Hast Been Assured

Few ministries in the history of the world are as striking as the apostle Paul's. Originally known as Saul of Tarsus, he inherited Roman citizenship from his father and Jewish faith from his mother. Educated at the Harvard of his day, Paul became a pharisee and actively persecuted Christians, who he perceived to be perverting Judaism, until a vision of Christ changed the current of his life. He would go on to become a great missionary, teacher, disciple and apostle who endured a great deal of persecution himself and was ultimately martyred for his testimony of Christ in Rome.

Near the end of his life, Paul was kept in chains in a dungeon that was exposed to the elements. He was a long way from home and had very little contact with friends or family. He knew he was going to die. He decided to write a final letter to his friend Timothy, who was the first ordained bishop in Ephesus. A lesser person might have used this as an opportunity to vent about the grievances of justice he had endured or perhaps to give final instructions regarding his estate. Paul was inspired instead to share one final sermon that would prove more valuable to you and I than to Timothy.

After admonishing Timothy to stay faithful, he prophesied of the perils of the last days, or in other words, the perils of the times in which we now live. The people in the world at that time, he writes, will be self-centered, irreverent, ungrateful, perverse, dishonest, undisciplined, faithless, traitorous, reckless and conceited. They will be people who love pleasure more than God and follow their appetites into all kinds of addictions and sins. All of these things would come because the people would deny the power of God; they would be ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth because they would refuse to consider spiritual evidence or learning from divine sources (2 Tim. 3:1-7).

Certainly this is the state of the world today. As morals fade and faith is increasingly unpopular, it might seem like the philosophies and ways of the world will soon overwhelm the faithful. Church attendance is down worldwide; truths about creation and the sanctity of life have been banished from schools and replaced by worldly philosophies and courses that encourage students to commit moral sins; and those who stand up for religious liberty are often harassed and accused of being bigoted, hateful, fearful, or worse.

Paul concedes that the righteous will be persecuted in our times and that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived," but also prophesies that the folly of the world "shall be manifest unto all men" and overthrown just as the Egyptian priests who resisted Moses (2 Tim. 3:8-9, 13). He reminds Timothy, and all of us by extension, that "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim. 1:7).

While we wait for folly to be overthrown, we may wonder how we "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ" amidst worldly currents of chaos, immorality, deceit, violence, persecution and degrading values (2 Nephi 31:20). Further, how do we keep our faith when some of those worldly philosophies start to make sense or we feel our faith is maybe not as strong as it once was or as we feel it needs to be?

Paul, who had been both persecuted and persecutor, gives a two-part answer based on his experience: "Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of," he told Timothy, "knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that...the holy scriptures [are] able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:14-15).

In another letter, this one to the believers in and around Jerusalem, Paul addressed those saints who were beginning to falter because of the difficultly of staying on the gospel path. To these ancient church members who thought testimony, conversion and baptism would put them beyond trouble, Paul counsels, "Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions... Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise" (Hebrews 10:32, 35-36).

Each of us have had sacred experiences that have been and are foundations for our testimony. These experiences are most often times when we knew God was speaking to us. Maybe it was how we felt when we were baptized or when we heard the prophet speak at General Conference. Maybe we were directed to go another way or make a different choice. Or maybe we felt God's love when reading a particularly meaningful passage of scripture, witnessing an answer to our prayers or enjoying the feelings of cleanliness that follow sincere repentance. Whatever those experiences are in our lives, we must not forget them now nor discredit their divine author.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has taught that we should, "first doubt [our] doubts before [we] doubt [our] faith" (Come, Join with Us, October 2013). "In moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, [we must] hold the ground [we] have already won, even if that ground is limited" (Elder Holland, Lord, I Believe, April 2013).

Elder Holland adds, "If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don't give up when the pressure mounts. Certainly don't give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you" (Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence, March 1999).

The second part of Paul's response requires that we acknowledge that God has also spoken to us through his prophets. We turn to God and begin our journey back to him through the study of his revealed words. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God," he explains, "and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be [complete], throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

When the world seems to suffocate us, or when we are offended by the evil around us, or when we are tempted to subscribe to worldly philosophies on love or life or anything else, we can find the strength, healing, comfort and answers we need in the Holy Scriptures. Honest study of the scriptures will build our faith, courage, resolve to act upon the truths we learn. We will more often find the inspiration to repent of our misdeeds until, step by step and habit by habit, we become complete and perfect in the sight of God in spite of all that is around us.

This was what Paul experienced as he sat in a Roman dungeon through heat and cold and storms and wind. He had given status and riches to be there. He had lost every worldly thing and would soon give his life. But he had also heard Christ's voice. He had felt God's assurance carry him through his most desperate hours. He knew it was true. He knew death was not the end. He knew he would see his family again and rejoice in the presence of God. And he knew it was possible for us as well, if we would hear God's words and stay on the path that leads back to him.

And so, instead of complaints or regrets, Paul writes to Timothy in the confidence of his God: "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

Journeys of Faith

Sometime in the three years following the birth of Christ, a group of travelers arrived in Jerusalem from an unnamed eastern country. The group, which had likely come over 1,000 miles by camel or on foot, was notable for the noble men who were their leaders-- considered wise either because of royal status or education or devotion to the gospel-- and journeyed because they recognized a new star in the heavens that testified of the birth of the Messiah.

That heralding star had likely not appeared for some time, possibly even years, when the group finally arrived in Israel's capital city. Scripture does not say exactly how long the star shone over Bethlehem nor how long this group of easterners had been traveling, but it is clear the wise men, or perhaps one or more of their wise wives, found it necessary to pull over in Jerusalem and ask for directions. Knowing they sought the King of the Jews, they inquired at the palace.

King Herod was apparently not aware of the star and its prophecy, but he certainly knew of the political threats posed in the prophesies of the Messiah. He consulted with his advisers to direct the travelers to Bethlehem and, attempting to compensate for his own unpreparedness, petitioned them to do a little scouting for him and report back to the palace.

As they walked down the palace steps, the wise men would have had every reason to question the legitimacy of their voyage. It had been so long since they saw the star-- and since then they had faced the numerous challenges and fatigues inherent to a journey across the desert without a notable confirmation that they were on the right path. When they finally reached the palace, there was confusion and little knowledge about the prophecied King of the Jews they sought. Even if the Christ child would be born in Bethlehem, as they had just learned from the king's advisers, there was no way to know which house in town to go or whether he was still in Bethlehem at all. Maybe this was a dead end or just a wild goose chase. Or maybe they hadn't really seen or understood the prophecied star. Wouldn't things be easier if it was right?! Maybe they would be better off turning around and going home-- or at least searching less diligently to mitigate the risk of disappointment.

Thousands of miles away in the Americas, those kinds of doubts had quickly dominated the public discussion. They had also seen the star, but some small groups immediately began to persuade the masses that they had not really seen the star or that, if they did see a star, it was not the prophesied sign of Christ's birth (3 Nephi 1:22). Most of the people did not listen at first, rejoicing in the birth of the Savior; but within a few years the people, 'began to be less and less astonished at a sign or wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen' (3 Nephi 2:1-3).

That would not be the case with the wise men, who wasted no time listening to foolish doubts or pondering potential failures. Instead they set out immediately from the palace, traveling the five-mile road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem in the darkness. Somewhere along that path, 'lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him’ (Matthew 2:9-11).

As we seek the Savior in our journey through life, at Christmastime and throughout the year, we will face many of the same kinds of trials as the wise men did. The Lord will give us revelation that we will need to trust and believe absolutely even when the special feelings have long since faded. Sometimes it may seem that we've hit a dead end or that there is no possible way the Lord could keep His promises. We may question ourselves and whether God has really spoken to our minds and hearts or if He is really guiding our path. Certainly the world around us will question our devotion and mock our reliance on the revelation they ignorantly see as strange or only imagined.

We will be tempted to quit, to trust in only what we can calculate or see for ourselves, to believe that we have reached a dead end or that God has not dealt fairly with us, or to hesitate and shy away from hard things. And if we give in to those temptations, we will most often find that we are giving up on finding Christ when we are nearest to Him, giving up the miracles and blessings we have just worked so hard to make possible, and giving up our chance to worship at His feet and live in His presence.

In the story of the wise men we see a wiser path for our lives. Journeys of faith, like journeys through the desert, simply do not happen without exertion, endurance through fatigue, and determination to press forward despite our doubts and fears. But then, if we will 'press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men', the Lord will confirm our faith and guide us to our goals; He will purify our hearts and we will know Him; and we will learn for ourselves that 'whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day' (2 Nephi 31:20, Alma 36:3).

Building Bridges

After more than a full year of preparing, including building customized boats and taking crash courses in botany, Captain Meriweather Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark led their Corps of Discovery out of Saint Charles, Missouri, in May of 1804. Their round-trip journey to the Pacific Ocean was two-and-a-half years and 8,000 miles of backbreaking work, including crossing several deep gorges and frequently being forced to carry supply-laden boats overland for a dozen miles or more to find the next river or stream.

One of the most difficult challenges for the expedition came at the Great Falls Portage of Montana in June 1805. Here all equipment and supplies, including canoes, had to be carried or pushed in makeshift wagons across 18 miles of rough terrain to avoid a dangerous stretch of falls and rapids. Many in the company had been sick with an unknown illness for over a week when they arrived at Great Falls and the crude wagons required almost constant repair. Prickly pear cactus tore through the men's moccasins and the company encountered several aggressive animals, including a grizzly bear, a wolverine, and three bull buffalo in one eventful day. Clark wrote in his journal that the dog, Seaman, was 'in a constant state of alarm with these bear and keeps barking all night', making it difficult for the men to sleep. Lewis summarized the condition of his men this way:

They are obliged to halt and rest frequently for a few minute. At every halt these poor fellow tumble down and are so much fortiegued that many of them are asleep in an instant. In short, their fatiegues are incredible; some are limping from the soreness of their feet, others faint and [are] unable to stand for a few minutes, with heat and fatiegue, yet no one complains.

The 18-mile detour took 32 days for the Corps of Discovery to complete. It included near-drownings, a violent hailstorm, a sunken boat, and five days making two replacement canoes from Cottonwood trees.

When learning about the hardships of this expedition, it is easy to find yourself musing, as President Monson once did, 'If only there were modern bridges to span the gorges of the raging waters'! Modern bridges bring incredible benefits to those they serve. A bridge over Great Falls Portage would have allowed Lewis and Clark to cross in just a minute or two, possibly leading to an easier route that would have spared a month of hardship and hastening their arrival at the Oregon Coast. Such benefits would be unlikely to come without a cost, however. With all the benefits that bridges bring to those who come behind, very often they require incredible sacrifices from their builders.

As the Corps of Discovery was making its way back to Missouri in the summer of 1806, just such a bridge builder was born in faraway Prussia (modern-day Germany). His name was Johann Augustus Roebling. He would leave everything he had behind and move to the United States in his mid-twenties to become a failure of a farmer and then a modestly successful engineer. In 1867, he began working on the designs for the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.

Just before construction on the bridge began, Roebling stood on a nearby dock completing the finishing touches on his designs. He wanted the bridge to be perfectly located and positioned to connect Brooklyn and Manhattan. While on the dock, an arriving ferry crushed his foot, requiring several toes to be amputated immediately. The surgeries were insufficient, and he died from tetanus 24 days later. His son, Washington Roebling, would take over the project and start construction on January 3, 1870.

Within a very short time of working in the caissons to build the foundation, Washington Roebling and many of the workers contracted decompression sickness. The illness left the younger Roebling paralyzed and forced him to direct the entire construction from his apartment, where he had a view of the bridge. For the next thirteen years until the bridge's completion, his wife, Emily Warren Roebling, learned engineering and served as the critical link between her husband, the architect, and the engineers on site. The bridge was opened on May 24, 1883.

The cost to build the Brooklyn Bridge was officially $15.1 million, but that is only counting dollars. Forty four people died building the bridge-- men and women-- and the number of injuries was not counted. Emily Roebling, among others, gave up nearly all of her time for 13 years, learned a new trade, cared for a paralyzed spouse, and abandoned much of what had occupied her time before to focus on the massive construction project.

Within 15 years of the bridge's completion, the population of Brooklyn doubled from 580,000 to over a million people. Brooklyn would become a borough of New York City and New York City would become a major commercial hub, something most historians argue would not have been possible in a more confined city without the Brooklyn Bridge. Still one of the largest and busiest bridges in the world today, the Brooklyn Bridge serves more than 137,000 cars and 2,700 pedestrians every day.

Just as the Brooklyn Bridge has helped New York City to thrive more than it otherwise could have, there are bridges to be built in each of our lives if we are to reach our full potential and allow our children and grandchildren to do the same. There are people with whom we need to connect or reconnect, obstacles we need to avoid, destinations we need to reach and paths we need to make easier for those coming behind us.

Few bridges rise without sacrifice. In constructing bridges to the hearts of men, we will undoubtedly be called upon to give up our prejudices in order to find common ground upon which to build. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have shown us the way as they have formed a foundation of friendship with faiths that disagree or have even historically fought against the Church, erected a public policy that works across political party lines to emphasize unity and humanity, and continue to reach out to those who may not be familiar with the Church or no longer feel connected.

President Uchtdorf has explained how this is done. 'As you accept the responsibility to seek after truth with an open mind and a humble heart,' he taught, 'you will become more tolerant of others, more open to listen, more prepared to understand, more inclined to build up instead of tearing down, and you will be more willing to go where God wants you to go.'

A bridge does not connect the same place with itself, but rather links together two places or things that may be very different. As Brooklyn and Manhattan thrive separately but interdependently, so our greatest happiness lies in building bridges that unify us with others despite differences through tolerance, active listening, optimism, respect, and cooperation. Grounded by our faith in Christ, without exaggerating virtue, building bridges to the hearts of our family members, those we serve, those we live or work near, and perhaps especially those with whom we don't seem to have anything in common will enrich our lives and improve our charity.

If we are to build bridges over the waters of mediocrity and connect our present to our greatest potential, we will also very likely be asked to sacrifice our fears. The Lord himself asked us to, 'fear not even unto death' (D&C 101:36). Referencing General Stonewall Jackson's famous quote to, 'never take counsel from our fears', Elder Bednar recently taught:

To not take counsel from our fears simply means that we do not permit fear and uncertainty to determine our course in life, to affect negatively our attitudes and behavior, to influence improperly our important decisions, or to divert or distract us from all in this world that is virtuous, lovely, or of good report.

To not take counsel from our fears means that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ overrules our fears and that we can press forward with a steadfastness in Him. To not take counsel from our fears means that we trust in God's guidance, assurance, and timing in our lives.

Reaching our full potential or avoiding a particular rocky patch in our lives may require some tough decisions while we are yet a long way off and unable to see the path ahead. It may mean a change of careers or moving to a new place. It might mean proposing marriage, having another child, or facing life with something we see as a disadvantage. It might not make sense at the time, but we will build bridges that pass over unnecessary hardships as we listen and obey to the Lord and his prophets when they ask us to put aside our fears and move forward in faith. Elder Ballard has provided another example of how we build bridges when we put away our fears:

The growing prominence of the Church and the increasing inquiries from others present us with great opportunities to build bridges, make friends, and pass on accurate information... You as members can help this to happen by reaching out and sharing with others the basic information found in the Articles of Faith, along with such things as the facts, faith, families, and fruits of the gospel.

No doubt, there are bridges for each of us to be building today. There are relationships to be forged, goals to be reached, and people coming behind that will be able to go farther if we'll just prepare the way. Each bridge we set out to build will require a dedication of our time and most will only be successful if we are willing to sacrifice our pride and human frailty to trust in God and press forward with a steadfast faith in Christ.

Unlike the workers on the Brooklyn Bridge, we can speak directly to the Grand Architect of our individual bridges as we pray to our Heavenly Father with a broken heart and contrite spirit. He knows the blueprints for our bridges and can see the glorious potential of our effort. He also knows of our sacrifices-- of the metaphorical falls and rapids, sicknesses and storms, fatigues and wild animals that bar the way. He is cheering for our success and wants us all to progress along the path that leads to eternal life. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to build the bridges along that path that were impossible for us so that we can cross the wide chasms of sin and death and return to live with Him again.

As we make our way through the untamed wilderness of life in search of the truths of His kingdom, He asks only that we follow His example and drop a few planks across a brooklet or a stream, build a few bridges of love with people different from ourselves, achieve a few things greater than ourselves, and help pave the rest of the path so we, with our descendants, can reach the safety and prosperity of His presence.

Trusting as a Little Child

Sometimes we watch little children and wish we could be as carefree as they so often seem to be. We say things like, "Boy, it would be great to be three again!" Or five again or eight again. However many years it has been since our childhood and however distant those feelings may seem, we can regain a childlike perspective on life as we strive to build our faith in God.

The stripling warriors followed Helaman into battle against seemingly insurmountable odds. As teenagers and young adults they were old enough to doubt and independent enough to choose for themselves. Yet, leaning on the confidence and teachings of their mothers, they put their trust in God.

The rest of the story is history. Through two major battles against an innumerable army of Lamanites, and despite many serious injuries, none of these inexperienced young warriors died on the battlefield.

And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe--that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power. Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually (Alma 57:26-27).

Helaman wrote to Moroni that the stripling warriors had many serious challenges, '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 judgements, and his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the prophecies concerning that which is to come' (Alma 58:40).

Young children are carefree because they trust perfectly in their imperfect parents to care for them and their needs. The stripling warriors were firm and undaunted in the face of trial because they trusted in God. We are taught to learn to trust our perfect Heavenly Father as the stripling warriors did and as our children put their trust in us. As we have the courage to put our trust in Him, our souls will find the peace and confidence we so often envy in our little children.

God Will Lift Us Up

Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

For moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. But my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you. Behold, who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of man? And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth?

Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with signing into Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

2 Nephi 8:7-8, 12, 11; see also Isaiah 51

Parable of the Pencil

How Firm a Foundation

In Mark chapter 10, we read of a noble, rich man that inquires of Christ, "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Finding that the man had kept the commandments from his youth, the Savior instructed the rich young man to, "go thy way way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor... and come, take up the cross, and follow me." Though we do not know if or when this young man may have obeyed, at the time of his encounter with Christ he, "went away grieved: for he had great possessions."

Turning to his disciples, the Master Teacher commented, "how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" Then again, "With men that trust in riches, it is impossible [to enter into the kingdom of God]; but not impossible with men who trust in God and leave all for my sake, for with such all these things are possible."

Honest self-evaluation may reveal to each of us what we may have in common with the young rich man. It is easy to feel like everything will be okay because the bills are paid with money left over for groceries and maybe even some savings. Do we pray more sincerely when our cash reserves are low?

The principle behind what Christ taught the young, rich man is taught more explicitly by King Benjamin in Mosiah chapter 3: "There shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent." Faith in Christ is the first principle of the gospel and absolutely essential to salvation in the kingdom of God. When we place our trust elsewhere, we introduce false idols and false security into our lives. We become like the foolish man, who built his house upon a sandy foundation.

Even the mention of idol worship conjures up ideas of gold calves made thousands of years ago or the neighbor that is always out in his front yard washing his new car. Yet when tragedy strikes or stress mounts, where do you and I turn? If we look for comfort in a batch of freshly baked cookies or retreat to the chocolate stash in our dresser drawers, we may well find that sweet treats have hindered or even replaced the deepest, most sincere trust in God that is required to return to Him.

Riches of cash or of calories are not alone in their ability to replace our faith with false security. Some create idols of intimacy, of drugs or alcohol, and still others trust most in their own education, their favorite sports team, the power of their preferred political party or their ability to control or influence those around them. When we put our trust in these things more than God-- when we turn to them in our difficult moments rather than to our Heavenly Father who waits to teach us and to bless us-- it is as though each of us were departing from the Savior just as the young rich man.

Victory over this form of idolatry requires a healthy dose of humility. We must change our thinking from, "What do I want to do?" to "What would the Lord have me do?" We recognize that the comfort we find in idolatrous trust of money or food or whatever allows the natural man to gain strength; so we strive to "yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit" that put off the natural man as they help us become, "submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, [and] willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us]" (Mosiah 3:19). In other words, as we find success and refinement in humility, we will also develop a deep and abiding faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Lord has promised that he will care for our needs, "for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things" (3 Nephi 13:32). Our job is to believe him-- believe he will do what he says he will do-- then take up our cross and build upon his firm foundation.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,

is laid for your faith in his excellent word.

What more can he say than to you he hath said,

who unto the Savior for refuge hath fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health, 

in poverty's vale or abounding in wealth,

at home or abroad, on the land or the sea

as thy days may demand so thy succor shall be.

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

for I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

the rivers of sorrow shall not thee o'erflow,

for I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless

and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,

my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

E'en down to old age, all my people shall prove

my sov'reign, eternal, unchangable love;

and then when gray hair shall their temples adorn,

like lambs shall they still in my bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;

that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I'll never, no never, no never forsake.

(How Firm a Foundation, attr. to Robert Keen, 1787)