Friday, September 17, 2010

1st Nephi 1

So the first thing that jumps out at me while reading
this chapter is....the very first thing Nephi mentions is
his parents. "I, Nephi, having been born of goodly
parents..." It may seem pretty simple when you first
read it, but the more I thought about it, the more it
meant to me. Our earthly familiesmust be pretty
important if this is the very first thing Nephi
mentions when writing his story.
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I, Sarah, having been born of goodly parents....
yeah that sounds pretty good to me. For a long time
I took for granted to 2 amazing examples, teachers,
and support systems that I had growing up. It's only
recently into my adult life that I came to the
realization just how much I needed them.
And not just for a roof over my head, or what temp
the oven should be at for baked potato's....but how
essential they are to my happiness, to my eternal
salvation. They chose to raise me in the Gospel,
they raised me knowing Jesus Christ our Saviour,
knowing that I could one day return to our Father
in Heaven, and for that I am eternally grateful!!!
The knowledge that they have given me is far better
than any gift they could have given me for any
holiday or birthday.
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The second thing that jumps out to me is Lehi's
vision.Verses 8, "God sitting upon his throne,
surrounded withnumberless concourses of angels
in the attitude of singing and praising their God"
also verse 9 ""...one descended out of the midst of
heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above
that of the sun at noon-day"
I just love the way that sounds.....it sounds so happy!!!
It gives me the chills, it makes me want to be there.
To return to my Father in Heaven!!
When I think of Lehi trying to warn his people,
telling them of their wickedness, it makes
me think of the world today. We can be so stubborn,
and independent...myself especially!!! I know I should
be doing certain things and yet I choose not to....why is that?
I have time, I have the means, why do I talk myself
out of something so good? Something out here
just for me, for my benefit, for my happiness!!
I think of how they were angry with him, so angry
they wanted to kill him.....now I have never wanted
to kill anyone, but I know when I was making choices
that didn't follow the Lord's standards,
I would be angry and defensive anytime the topics
were discussed at church or elsewhere for that
matter. I would feel the need to argue points, points
that I knew to be true!!! It's silly but, I kind of know
what Lehi's people must have felt at that time....I think
of all the people who were trying to help me, who loved
me enough to not keep their mouths shut while I fell
deeper and deeper into Satan's grasp. What love
Lehi had for his people to want to try
and save them.
The very last verse in the chapter.....
Verse 20
"...But, behold I, Nephi, will show unto you 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."
WOW....what a great verse!!!
I have felt of the Lords mercy first hand. I am not
perfect, nor will I ever be perfect. But I know that
I can turn to the Lord and he will forgive me my sins
and take me back into the comfort of his loving arms.
He wants me to be happy, he wants me to come home.

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