Nephi, You Have My Sympathy

Look at my presumption.

This blog has proven to be more challenging than I first suspected. It's very difficult to create (or recreate as the case may be) a lesson in which we are led by the Spirit to discuss things, and follow the flow of the experience in writing. But I'll attempt it anyway.

Challenges are a good thing.

Yesterday's lesson, one in which we discussed Thomas B. Marsh (because D&C 112 is directed to Brother Marsh), was on missionary work, among other things.

D&C 112:2- The Lord tells Thomas that there are "some few things" in his heart which were not pleasing to the Lord. This is merciful language; language from a Being who knows how to encourage His children to repentance. I'm absolutely certain there are more than a few things in my heart that are displeasing to the Lord, but the use of this phrase gives hope, a feeling of do-able-ness.

D&C 112:3- "Nevertheless," usually a very blessed term when used in the scriptures; so it is in this case, even though there are things not pleasing to the Lord in Thomas's heart, the Lord promises (and even grants(?)) forgiveness. And He uses a simple parallelism to do it: "inasmuch as thou hast abased thyself thou shalt be exalted." This phrase contrasts to one later in the revelation, in which the Lord tells Thomas and all the Twelve, to "Exalt not yourselves" (D&C 112:15). We ought to know (I think we do, but sometimes we don't realize) that we don't have any power within ourselves unto salvation. Our merits will always fall short. And so the only way to salvation is to abase ourselves, to see ourselves as less than the dust of the earth, to fall on our faces before God, as we remember how Jesus fell on His face before His God because of us, because of what we do every day--our disobedience. When we are thus brought to this kind of humility, or abasement, we then find ourselves worthy through the merits and mercies of the Savior to be exalted.

D&C 112:11- "Be not partial towards them in love above many others." Simply put, don't show favoritism. But how difficult is this! With our co-workers, our neighbors, our parents, our siblings, our children, those we share the road with, etc.

D&C 112:13- The last part of this verse brings to mind the warning/counsel Jesus gave to Peter at the Last Supper: "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:31-32). Yes, Jesus prays for us, in so many ways. He prayed for us specifically at the Last Supper (John 17), He prayed for us in the Garden of Gethsemane, I wonder if His plea to the Father to "forgive them; for they know not what they do," could not be applied to us as to the Roman soldiers who parted His garments (Luke 23:34). He pleads for us before the Father even now, for His infinite and eternal Atonement is forever the ground on which we make our case for salvation (D&C 45:4-5).

It is my faith that we can be forgiven, that we can be healed, that we can find safety, only in the grace of our Master and in emulating His life.