1 Nephi 13:6

6  And it came to pass that I beheld this ^agreat and ^babominable church; and I saw the ^cdevil that he was the founder of it.
-if we read the scriptures carefully we will see that Lucifer is never credited with creating anything.  He can't.  He can imitate, transform, organize, "founder", adulterate, manipulate....  He has no creative power.  He takes what already exists and twists it.  And he is a master of such.  But it is critical to our understanding of our future status  -whether we will belong to and be as God or Lucifer- it is critical that we understand where the creative power lies.  Only God can create.  Lucifer does not have this privilege and gift.  He takes what God creates or possesses and twists it to his devilish objectives.  He does this with the priesthood, with the church, with the family, with wealth, with revelation, even with virtues such as sacrifice and love.  There is a Satanic counterfeit for every true principle.  In each case, the focus becomes self instead of others.  This has been his modus operandi from the beginning when he sought his own aggrandizement in the guise of saving all of God's children. His motivation was not God or God's children but it was himself.  This orientation is fundamentally contrary to the laws of heaven and we learn that even doing good things can be wrong if not done the right way.  "To obey is better than sacrifice..."

1 Nephi 11:30-31

30  And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw ^aangels descending upon the children of men; and they did minister unto them.

31  And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men.  And I beheld multitudes of people who were ^asick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with ^bdevils and ^cunclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me.  And they were ^dhealed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.

            -Condescension #3:  the Savior serving and assisting mortal man in all of his infirmities, weaknessed and infirmities.  Many men of nobility would hardly concern themselves with the plight of those so far beneath their social standing (which discrepancy is simply a social construct) much less the real differential that existed between God and mortal man.  Christ had every legitimate reason to avoid the sinful rabble and corrupted nature of mortal man… instead he made himself their servent.  He engaged them in their ugly physical infirmities and in their pathetic spiritual tragedies and filthiness.  We cannot begin to comprehend the nature of God we have and the full capacity of love that defines the divine!

1 Nephi 11:29

29  And I also beheld ^atwelve others following him.  And it came to pass that they were ^bcarried away in the Spirit from before my face, and I saw them not.

            -why were the twelve carried away and hidden from Nephi’s view?  A view of these specifics was, apparently, outside the perview of this vision.  This revelation, like others, has a particular objective and is not comprehensive in nature.  We are given what we need and what we are prepared to receive.  Our growth, like that of the greatest prophets is “line upon line and precept upon precept”.  Truth is distilled upon man as the dews from heaven and this, as he is ready for it.  While God is imparting his tender mercies to man, it is one of those tender mercies that we are not given more than we are ready to be held accountable to.  Our agency and capacity always forms the glass ceiling that protects us from inevitably falling to live up to what we cannot yet endure. We think we want more but struggle to abide by what we already have. 

1 Nephi 11:27

27  And I looked and ^abeheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and I also beheld the ^bprophet who should prepare the way before him.  And the Lamb of God went forth and was ^cbaptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him in the form of a ^ddove.

            -Condescension #2:  a perfect being submitting to baptism which is a representation of washing away sins and the actions which previously have been contrary to the nature of God.  It is a rebirth to a new life that is free of sin.  The irony is that Christ had  no sins to wash away.  He did not need to begin a new life of better living.  He was always spotless, guileless, and clean.  The purpose of this ordinance was literally, beneath him.  He submitted or stooped down for a higher law of example and obedience.  Nephi explains this point more specifically later (2 Nephi 31).

 

    "the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him"

        -the bestowal of the Holy Ghost is part of the baptismal ordinance.  Without the granting of the Holy Ghost the ordinance is not complete.  Did Jesus have need of the Holy Ghost for the same reason we do (as a teacher, a comforter, a constant companion)?  Assuming he did not due to his station as a member of the Godhead, why was the Holy Ghost sent?

Verse rewrite (replacing pronouns with names):
And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and I also beheld John the Baptist.  And the Messiah/Jesus went forth and was baptized of John; and after Jesus was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon Jesus in the form of a dove.

1 Nephi 11:18

18  And he said unto me: Behold, the ^avirgin whom thou seest is the ^bmother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.

            -Scene 1: conception and advent of the baby Jesus.

            -Nephi was not expected to know… The Spirit clearly and forthrightly gave him an answer to his question.

            -Condescension #1:  the creator of the world, who rightly could claim ownership and priveledge to all things entered this existence in the most humble of circumstances.

1 Nephi 11:16

16  And he said unto me: Knowest thou the ^acondescension of God?

            -here is an angel teaching Nephi.  Angels are not “handicap” with the limitations of the veil.  Hence they have a step up on those engaged in the mortal experience even when those mortals are some of the great ones.  There must be great empathy by those who spirits who have experienced mortality who are now working with those presently engaged in the rigors of this estate.

     “Knowest thou the condescension of God?”

            -should Nephi (should we) have known about the condescension of God –what it is, what it means?  Is it something that ever crossed Nephi’s mind prior to the angel framing the question?  What other things should we know that we don’t, much less even considered. 

     “condescension”

            - definition: “voluntary descent from one's rank or dignity in relations with an inferior.”

            -what are we to gather or understand about God’s condescension?  This is one of those concepts where there is a great divide between knowing about it  -yes, I am aware that Jesus Christ took a huge step down and came to earth to submit himself to man, to mortality, to the terrestrial sphere- and really having a deep understanding of what it means.

1 Nephi 11:6

6  And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the ^aearth, yea, even above all.  And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou ^bbelievest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.

            -Clearly Nephi answered correctly, he had passed the “test”.  But I am missing something more here.... 

    “he is God over all he earth, yea, even above all.”

            -can there be any doubt regarding God’s supremecy over his creations?  Twice he establishes that he is over all and above all!  This means, to a perfect father, that he is protector of all –responsible as a parent of children, for all.  He takes a personal interest in the progression, the happiness, the wellbeing of all.  There is none within His dominion –which is all- that he will neglect.

    “blessed art thou, Nephi”

            -so how is Nephi blessed because of his belief in the Son of God?  What is accounted in this blessedness?    In other words, how is Nephi’s life blessed because of his belief?  The most immediate blessing is the increase in personal knowledge and testimony he is about to receive: “thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.”  This is no small thing.  In fact, there are few blessings greater.  But are there other ways Nephi is blessed?

    “because thou beleivest”

            -how did Nephi evidence this belief in such a manner and degree that he qualifies for this heavenly visitation and confirmation?

1 Nephi 11:4

4.  And the Spirit said unto me: ^aBelievest thou that thy father saw the ^btree of which he hath spoken?

            -the Spirit knows all things.  The Spirit knows Nephi’s heart and ultimately the answers to the questions he is asking before Nephi can even respond.  Why, then, this lineof questions? 

1.  so that Nephi can express/exercise his agency.  Even though God (and the Spirit) knows how we will respond in a situation –positively or negatively- that situation must play out so that we can own it.  God’s foreknowledge does not compel us to act a certain way.  Our actions are one hundred percent, ours.  We own them because we use our agency to make a choice.

2. as a teaching device both for Nephi and for those who are reading this account as third party participants.  What do we learn about the teaching and revealing process, about discovery of spiritual things, about acquisition of spiritual knowledge?  What does Nephi learn in the process of answering questions?

3.     as a model for us to follow when other’s are pursueing knowledge.  If this process is followed by a heavenly being, it is appropriate for us in a terrestrial world.  We can ascertain the amount of truth to unveal to others according as they are ready and receptive.

   “Believest thou…?”

-faith comes before the miracle.  We must show our acceptance of truths already known before we can receive more.  This is a safeguard of our agency.  We will not be given more than our state of obedience, maturity and acceptance allows.  In the "line upon line, precept upon precept" growth trajectory that we are all on, there is simply no skipping levels.  With each new truth, revelation or understanding comes a corresponding measure of responsibility to which we become accountable.  It would not be fair to us to give accountability beyond our current capacity or willingness.  We are the only force that limits our spiritual growth.  We often express a desire to have more of the personal revelations and insights available from God but the truth is we do not want the corresponding responsibility.  Nephi is willing and here expresses his permission in the form of faith:  Yes, I believe and yes, I am ready.

1 Nephi 10:18

18  For he is the ^asame yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.

     “he is the same yesterday”

            -Nephi could not be more blatant or clear unless he were to say “God is ready to show you these things also if you would only prepare yourselves for the experience.”  Do not think for one second that we are any different than he or are operating under different rules.  The level of technology might have changed, but how God deals with his children is constant and always will be.

            -God is constant, He does not change and cannot be swayed.  He is absolutely secure in who and what He is.  Compare this to mortal man who is so equivocal, liable to be swayed, unsettled and unsure.  Paul identified this tendency and urged us to be more like God: “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, wheeby they lie in wait to deceive.” (Eph. 4:14). 

            -we are not, like God, unchangeable mostly because we –to be honest- need to change.  We need to become more righteous, more pure.  We need to work toward a more Christlike character.  To stay the same yesterday and today would be to remain unqualified for eternal life.  Some people stubbornly cling to their character weaknesses and faults.  On the other hand, in those things we can be perfect in  -in Sabbath observance, in payment of tithing, in honesty- we should be constant, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.  By being such, people can count on us.  God can trust us.  There are few things that generate more security for a spouse than knowing exactly how their partner will act in a certain situation  -that they will be true, that they will be reliable in a specific situation or while doing a specific thing.  This is equally true and vital for children who need a sense of security in their lives:  to know that dad and mom love each other, to know that mom is around when they walk through the door from school and yell out, “Mom!?”.  The psychological and emotional assurance of such things is incalculable.  When we have achieved this type of righteous consistency we have become like God by being the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.

     “the way is prepared… from the foundation of the world”

            -God’s plan, the plan of salvation, is not some hastily conceived or constantly evolving plan.  It took shape before the seeming chaos and complicated scenarios of this life rolled out.  There is no situation that breaches the parameters of the plan.  The way leading to salvation accounts for all contingencies.

            -our plans are frequently much less prepared or well thought out.  This applies to our life plans, to our vacation plans, to the prepartions we give to our callings, etc.  Mortals are masters of improvisation and procrastination.  God does not organize his reality in this manner and neither should we  -if, that is, we wish to be successful in our endeavors.  For example, a Young Men’s Wednesday activity deserves much more advanced and careful planning than we often give it.  It is subsequently much less successful or impactul than we hoped.  We will answer for this one day.

1 Nephi 10:6

6  Wherefore, all mankind were in a ^alost and in a ^bfallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.

    “all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state”

            -this condition, as a common element of the mortal existence, was brought about when Adam and Eve transgressed the law of God.  Since God and sin are incompatible, the two became disjointed and separate.  Man literally fell from a state of being in God’s presence which is obviously a higher “standard of existence/living” than we now navigate.  Hence the fallen state.  It is a state defined by temptation (rather than self-disciplined righteousness), death (rather than perpetual life), sorrow, pain, cruelty (rather than compassion/love), division (rather than unity).  The term “lost” describes our potential eternal standing at the moment of the fall.  We fell through the grasp of our heavenly parents.  It is “lost” in a sense of “lost control” or “lost the championship”.  It is not that they could not find us.  There is a sense, however, of our being unable to find the way by ourselves.  This is by virtue of the veil and our disobedience which further clouds our minds and leads to confusion rather than truth and additional revelation.  The veil prohibits our complete clarity of understanding and spiritual sight but our rebellion and disqualification from the Spirit –which teaches, clarifies and imbues with intelligence- blinds our minds and hearts much more.  Our lack of vision into heavenly things is much less a function of the veil and is a condition largely self-imposed by our own actions.  We could nearly see into heaven and mortality with heavenly eyes if we lived so that the Holy Spirit could teach us all things.

     "rely"

            -a curious verb to use, but what a beautiful picture it creates!  We must depend, trust, lean on the Savior.  We are helpless were it not for this person who will assist us.

            -we rely on different people for different things.  Nephi is quite specific on what and why we need to rely on the Savior:  because we are "lost" and "fallen".  Hence he will help us find the way, ourselves, home, etc. and he will lift us up to where we once were.

     “Redeemer”

                -redeem (verb): to make (something that is bad, unpleasant, etc.) better or more acceptable; to exchange (something, such as a coupon or lottery ticket) for money, an award, etc.;  to buy back (something, such as a stock or bond).

 

 

What would life be like without a Savior

 

1 Nephi 9:6

6  But the Lord ^aknoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all ^bpower unto the fulfilling of all his words.  And thus it is.  Amen.

            -30 years later Nephi still did not know the Lord's reason, but he did it!

            -the Lord, like a conductor of a symphony, orchestrates a marvelous production.  And just like a conductor, he does not make the members play correctly, they have the ability and right to play out of tune, rhythm or gate of the larger orchestra –but if they choose to do so, the music will be ugly, chaotic and will not elevate.

    “the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning”

            -TRUTH!  Not only does God know all things, but he pre-knows it.  He knows it before it happens.  Others have described this prescience as the simultaneous occurance of all things.  There is no element of time to God –he lives outside of time.  While we cannot comprehend this, it does not invalidate it or make such a condition impossible.  There are many things that “are” but are incomprehensible to us.  Many earthly processes or conditions are beyond our understanding and yet we know that they transpire.  If such happen on a telestial level, how is it that we doubt their existence on a much higher –a celestial- level?

            -how does this truth change the way we live?  The way we trust God?  The decisions we make during the difficult times of our life?  If we really believe that He knows all things that are now or will happen to us in the future  -both positive things and what we call “tragedies” or “disasters”- and likewise prepares a way for us to successfully navigate through them, if we really have an abiding faith that this is true then there is no place for fear or despondency.  We are in the hands of God  -hands that we know are all powerful, all loving, all merciful!

   “wherefore he prepareth a way”

            -this is the merciful part.  An omnipotent and all knowing God who is able to know all things is one thing.  That is an amazing power (or can we say, “spiritual gift”) but what to do with that power is another thing entirely.  Mortal men would become manipulative and use that power for their own benefit.  We would do terribly small things like bet on the outcome of the Super Bowl, put ourselves in positions to take advantage because of our foreknowledge.  Alternately, God could simply sit back and let things play out as He has forseen.  He does neither of these.  While still holding agency and free will sovereign, he prepares a way for the elevation and exhaltation of his children.  To know all things is a tremendous gift.  To use that gift in righteousness is a quality of and a qualification to be God.

     “he hath all power"

            -notice how many times “all “ is used in this verse.  To receive a totality requires the strictest and unfaltering obedience to the laws that lead to that endowment.  All could not be his if he was not first obedient to all imposed upon him.

            -Christ and the Father have ALL power, including power to override the agency of man, just as they have power to sin, but hey will never exercise that power.  We would do well to recognize that although we may possess the ability to do certain things it is not as valid  to conclude that we should then take that ability to fulfillment.  Power in its fullest is not a good thing if not counterbalance by “all-loving” or “all-self-disciplined”.

    “he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words.”

            -whatever God declares, he is able to accomplish.  He is in total control of bringing about what he says.  This power comes because He knows all things.  We do not have this amazing power to bring about what we say.  Sometimes we say, I want to do such and such or I promise not to let anything happen to you” but our power to make those things effectual (to bring them about absolutely) is limited.  We may speak things out of an emotional motivation and tremendous desire but we frequently do not deliver on the things we say.  This is largely because we do not know the end from the beginning.  If we had this knowledge we would know what to promise/what to speak because we know of its eventuality.    So the power of God is to know all things and then to speak in accordance with what we know.  In other words to make sure our words are in perfect harmony with the truth of things to come.  So the central question is, how is it that God is able to achieve all knowledge?  What laws predicate the acquisition of all knowledge?

1 Nephi 7:5

  And it came to pass that the ^aLord did soften the heart of Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our father.
      "...That the Lord did soften the heart..."

            -Who did?  The Lord did.  It wasn’t , “the things we said did soften …”  Herein lies the answers to the questions begged in verse four. 

-Nephi gives credit where credit is due.  Not only is Nephi humble enough to give the credit to He who actually brought the end to pass (giving us a hint of one of the qualities that makes Nephi, and all people, a great man) but in doing so he teaches us a vital lesson:  The Lord is the journeyman in his own tasks.  We may be privileged to help out, even to be an instrument, but the one who brings about the substantive changes is God!  There is absolutely nothing Nephi could have done on his own or by his own power to soften a heart.

      “soften the heart”

            -the lord did not “convince the intellect of Ishmael” or anything else except for softening the heart.  It was not the most rational thing to do –leaving your safe, comfortable and established home… in fact it probably seemed foolish, crazy and stupid.  Are we willing to do similar things when required of the Lord?

      “insomuch that they did take their journey with us…”

            -Wow!  What kind of faith would it have required to drop your entire life and all society as you knew it and go with four young men into the wilderness (especially when two of the young men may have manifest some resistance to the idea)?  But they did!  What a tribute to the character of Ishmael.

            -Family of Ishmael:

                        5 daughters, 2 sons.

1 Nephi 3:7

7  And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I ^awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

            -Nephi’s answer addresses both of Laman/Lemuel’s objections:

·         “The things which the Lord hath commanded” = Nephi recognizes where the calling has come from.  It’s source is God even though it was conveyed through a man (a prophet/their father).

·         “the Lord giveth no commandment… save he shall prepare a way” = we remember that a primary objection to the job at hand was that it was a “difficult thing”.  Not only does Nephi know where the command originates, but he knows that however hard, improbable, irrational, unpopular, etc. the thing might be to accomplish, the Lord will raise him up and support him in the eventual succeed at the endeavor.  

"I will go and do"

            -these may be three of the most glorious words a father can hear from a son while at the same time the most difficult words for a son to speak to his father.  The willing obedience of a child is one of the highest joys for parents.  To hear a child say “yes, I will do that” in response to any request large or small brings joy and contentment that the child is on the path to happiness and accomplishment.  It denotes a humble and obedient heart even when the request concerns a small matter like taking out the trash, getting dressed, finishing homework.  If this is the answer for small things, it is likely to be the answer for large things like going on a mission, treating a young woman with respect and defending her purity, retaining integrity when fraud is the status quo.  From the perspective of a youth, however, to acquiesce willingly to so many requests feels like a surrender, like submission to a burden, it may be esteemed as humiliation or a threat to one’s individuality or sense of identity.  It is a reminder that he or she is not in charge, a constant evidence of not getting your own way.  Often resentment is the response to parental requests.  The impulse of the natural man is to resist and rebel.

 Footnote

     a:  1 Sam. 17:32, 1Kings 17:11-15

            “go and do”

            -it is one thing to “go” and still another, and harder, thing to “do”.  Hundreds of missionaries go but a precious minority “do”.  The great and honorable and chosen are the ones that “do”.

            -we should always remember that Laman and Lemuel both came around to the “go” part of this equation.  Many will go but it is in the subtleties or the “how” of the going that changes everything.  Yes, “go” is the essential first step and there are blessings associated with obedience to “go”.  But there is a deeper conviction that comes of faith that fuels our resolve to overcome the difficulties that are always faced in the second or “do” stage.  This is where Laman and Lemuel could not rise to the task.  This is where our own personal will power reaches its limits and dependence on God’s infinite power of will carries the day.  Perservereing into and through the “do” stage requires a genuine relationship with God.  It is where the partnership is consummated.  We become partners with diety.  This cannot be feigned or forged in an instant.  This is where our resevoirs of faith are required, where the oil in our lamps provides the energy to see us through the dark night.  There is no deception or fakery.  You have it or you do not.

      “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded”

            -there is a critical pattern established throughout the scriptures but perhaps nowhere illustrated better than by Nephi here.  Nephi becomes an imitator of the Savior.  His words, expressing his commitment, are nearly exact replicas of the Savior’s.  What is more is how Nephi is mirroring words and behavior he and we have seen firsthand in the pre-mortal life.  Nephi’s own desires, his own   Did Nephi WANT to go back to Jerusalem and tackle a challenge that seemed almost unattainable?  Not in a million years, so what would make him do just that?  We can expect to find ourselves in just such a situation albeit the exact circumstances will be custom fit to our day, technology and context. 

fears, hopes and appetites are consciously placed behind his father’s.

"...the things which the Lord hath commanded..."

            -Nephi understands the source of the instruction, these are the things the Lord commands, not the things man commands.  And this difference is at the heart of why Nephi could press forward and why Laman and Lemuel failed.  This same difference is why any venture that includes God can prevail and why those that exclude him will ultimately fail.  This is true of individuals, governments, families, marriages, civilizations, as well as the ideas and principles that lie at the foundation of each of these.  This is why secularism and its manifestations, laws, concepts and embodiments eventually fall apart.  Anything lasting –the ultimate manifestation of which is “eternal”- must be connected into the source of lasting, of being, of integrity.  Secularism which is based on man and man’s best ideas has no integrity.  It must fall apart because man is temporal.  Its very basis is limited, temporary and transient.  In the eyes of man it may appear to have some permanence but a couple generations or a couple hundred years, even a couple millennia is a moment when compared to ages, eons and eternity.  Our point of view is so incredibly myopic and puny. 

            -the things the Lord commands will all be done whether it be sooner or later or whether we or another be the one to accomplish them.  The objectives of God will come about.   Why then should we resist being the subject that brings these things about when we are invited?

      “for I know”

            -Nephi is willing to “go and do” while Laman and Lemuel are not and it boils down to this statement:  Nephi knows God –about God, that this is His work/will, that God will prosper his efforts, that God is, in fact, real and involved in this adventure- and Lamand and Lemuel do not. 

            -how did Nephi know?  Because he just had a personal experience with God (see chapter 2, verses 16, 19-24.

            "I know that the Lord giveth ..."

            -we should be careful in the placement of our faith, it is true -absolutely and unequivocally- that the Lord giveth no commandments except that they are proper, achievable, etc.  but sometimes man, your parents, your spouse, etc. will request things that are not proper or achievable.  It is important, especially for the youth to distinguish the always appropriate requests of the Lord and recognize the sometimes errant actions of parents.  Nephi understood the source of this request whereas Laman and Lemuel did not. 

     “he shall prepare”

            -the preparation for the promised accomplishment is in God’s hands, not ours.  We are simply to be goers and doers.  It is not for us to be concerned with the how, although that question will drive us crazy.  The natural man wants to have a grasp on the “how” before he commences.  We want to have a plan and we want to know what it is. That is the way of the rational mind.   In fact, we frequently fail to start along the way of accomplishment until we “see” the way, until we know how something is to come about.  Our knowing the how is obviously not of primary concern to God, he is much more concerned with our trusting him.  The drive for understanding the “how” is to trust in the arm of flesh.  When we strike out “not knowing beforehand”, that is an expression of faith and submission.

            “shall prepare”

            -the avenue to a thing’s accomplishment is not always clear.  The Lord will make possible a path that had been, will be, or at all other times would have been closed or impossible.  Don’t faint because the way to accomplishing something is impossible at the moment or had been just a few moments earlier.  After all, the Red Sea did not have a permanent part in it.  It was made to divide for only a few moments in the history of its existence.

            "he shall prepare a way"

            -the use of future tense "shall" signifies that the way is not currently prepared but in due time it will be.  This signifies a great need to exercise faith and carry on expending all energy and means within your power and then counting on divine assistance at the moment (after we have done all that we can) when things are beyond your power and now in the hands of God.  This is faith at its finest.  In the tense and meaning of the word “shall” is the need for the exercise of faith.

            -this is a promise from God to those who obey him:  He shall prepare a way for them.  God makes a path for those who abide and pursue his will.  He will straighten and clear the way which to us seems impassable and strewn with obstacles.  Even if the barrier is a sea or an army or a host of social, psychological or physiological impediments.  The path of deliverance cuts through tight places and narrow passages, it is, afer all, straight and narrow.

            -we have a full capability to achieve all the commandments we have been given.  There is not one that we cannot fulfill.

            “a way”

            -this little word is very important.  It is not singular.  We are not taught that there is one way.  If there were one way of accomplishment it would read:  “save he shall prepare the way…”  Sometimes if we knew the one and only way of accomplishing a thing we would be more enthused to do it.  But there is not one way to activate a less active family neither is there one way to be a missionary.  There is not one method that will gain the attention of all and touch everyone’s heart.

            Neither does it read “my way”.  The Lord will do the work as he sees fit.  Too often we want to do His work the way we see fit.  The brothers were about to learn this first hand.

            “they may accomplish”

            -the Lord is an accomplisher.  He does not fail.  His is a work of success.  He is assured of success but without forcing anyone to do anything against their wills  Think about that!  Remarkable!

1 Nephi 2:12

12  And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their ^afather.  And they did ^bmurmur because they ^cknew not the dealings of that God who had ^dcreated them.
     “knew not the dealings of … God”

            -this is the root of Laman and Lemuel’s troubles!  They did not know and understand God… nor did they want to.

            -much of our suffering, unhappiness and psychological dissonance can be traced back to a failure to understand the ways in which God works.  Furthermore we somehow suppose that we could arrange things better.  Indeed the toughest things in this life seem to be 1) submitting our will to God’s and 2) getting to know God (and thereby “knowing the dealings of God”).

      “knew not…. That God… who had created them.”

            -these two phrases are strikingly ironic to me.  How can they (we) not know the very being who created us, who gave us life, whose “DNA” we share, who raised us, and of whose substance we are?  It seems almost blatantly natural that the offspring should know their progenitor intimately.  In fact to not know, or to refuse to learn is a gross demonstration of ingratitude and rebellion.

            -it is imperative that we know the dealings of God, that we have a solid sense of how He thinks, what His motives are, why he acts and treats us the way He does.  Luckily, he is a generous Father and wants us to know Him (which, itself is a fundamental attribute that we can either believe or disbelieve).  To know the mind and will of God –a simple way of expressing “the dealings of God”- is not an easy thing even though He wants us to attain it.  There are at least two probems:  1.  He is all knowing and all powerful.  We are largely the opposite:  we know very little and our power relative to His is like a gnat on a lion’s hindend.  Since we are dealing with analogies, our ability to comprehend, to reason and to think is like a three year old child sitting in one of Einstein’s lectures on cosmology and quantum physics.  On the one hand it is laughable.  2.  Our current natures are cankered with the drives of the natural man.  Because of this we operate and are motivated by things fundamentally different than Him.  Our dealings with eachother which we can call the “dealings of man” are centered on appetites:  power, wealth, physical hunger, sexual desire, status or fame and even positive cravings like wanting to be loved.  These motivations cause us to see things differently, to want things differenctly to have a mindset and orientation to life that is fundamentally different than his.  It is like growing up in the Saharah desert and trying to understand what snow, ice and penguins are.  There are certainly other fundamental differences that confound our ability to know the dealings of God but the net result is a profound disconnect between the mind of man and the mind of God.  We are confused, frustrated and even angered at the way he deals with us.  This is manifest by questions like, why does God allow people to suffer, why do bad things happen to good people (like little children being slaughtered by a gunman or millions of people being starved to death).  These questions are asked in moments of deep sobriety and are genuine expressions illuminating our lack of understanding God’s dealings with, plan and purpose for man.  In summary, we often just do not “get” God.  While I, myself, have confronted this reality.  Our lack of understanding is a separate thing from utterly refusing to believe that he is there.  I don’t understand nuclear fusion, calculus or myocardio infarction but my lack of comprehension does not mean these things do not exist and do not have very real bearing on my life and reality.  I have painted a daunting picture of our ability to come to know the dealings of God.  It is, perhaps, the essense of mortality and the key to our successful eternal development so we should not expect it to be easy or for this comprehension to come in a short period of time but it is nevertheless, not a complicated educational process.  We come to know any complex thing by reading its instruction manual and by talking to its inventor.  We have an instruction manual that details how God thinks, how he interacts with man and how He has dealt with those who tend toward him as well as those who tend against Him.  Furthermore, we can talk to the creator.  He has issued an open invitation.  He has asked us to consider him, to lend an ear toward his teachings, to direct our eye, single to His glory.  To knock, ask and open.  To draw near to him.  I could go on reciting the many familiar ways he has invited us to get to know Him.    It is vital that we come to know the dealings of that God who created us.  If we do not, it leads to very different courses of action, different comprehension of life situations, different values upon which we base our behavior and a very different type of person we eventually become.  Nephi and Laman/Lemuel are archtypes and examples of this process:

            -the created should trust, or at least be submissive to, his or her creator.  This is difficult to dismiss.  That agent who has the knowledge and the power to create life surely has dominion and authority over the object of their creation.  It is blatant narcissism for the created to assume in him or herself a superior role or status to their creator and yet the family of man does it all the time.  The amazing thing is that the creator allows man to have this attitude of rebellion and self-importance. 

 

            -how has God delt with you in the course of your life and why?