As I read in the scriptures this week the thoughts that came to my mind were these. The following is not doctrine just odd things that I thunked.
While I was reading 1 Nephi Chapter 17 I was thinking about the time that Nephi and his family spent in the wilderness. At times I see my life as being spent in the wilderness. I'm kind of wandering and wondering and just going about life. I am pushing through life but not really seeing the big goal. I realize that Nephi saw the big goal. His understanding was divine. I also believe there were those wandering in the wilderness wondering what the point of it all was. Was it really going to make a difference? I then looked at the approximate date that is located at the bottom of the page, 592 BC. Here's my thought... My choices in my life now will affect generations just as Nephi's choices do. Now, it's not that my life will have such a far reaching affect but it will have an affect.
Oh, I loved this. Later on in Ch. 17 Nephi is building a boat. Now, I get that many already felt this moment but as I read my mind was impressed upon about the importance of this key piece. The Lord gave Nephi a responsibility, he was to build a boat. Nephi is ready and willing and what does he do? this is where it gets good... he asks the Lord for help. He turns to the Lord and asks where he can find items that he needs to complete this job. Okay, now you see I'm thinking, how often does the Lord ask me to do something and then I jump on it and think I should know what I'm doing so I move forward and never look back to ask for help. I'm assuming that it's my job now. NO!! Hooray for this mind blitz.
1 Nephi Ch. 17 did me good because I learned this later on. Verses 51-55
51 And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship?
52 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said many things unto my brethren, insomuch that they were confounded and could not contend against me; neither durst they lay their hands upon me nor touch me with their fingers, even for the space of many days. Now they durst not do this lest they should wither before me, so powerful was the Spirit of God; and thus it had wrought upon them.
53 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thine hand again unto thy brethren, and they shall not wither before thee, but I will shock them, saith the Lord, and this will I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God.
54 And it came to pass that I stretched forth my hand unto my brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did shake them, even according to the word which he had spoken.
54 And it came to pass that I stretched forth my hand unto my brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did shake them, even according to the word which he had spoken.
55 And now, they said: We know of a surety that the Lord is with thee, for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has shaken us. And they fell down before me, and were about to worship me, but I would not suffer them, saying: I am thy brother, yea, even thy younger brother; wherefore, worship the Lord thy God, and honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee.
Here is my thinking on this.. if God has such great power how can he not instruct me? the other thought that came to mind was that Laman and Lemuel in verse 55 say, "we know of a surety that the Lord is with thee." They had no doubt that the Lord was with Nephi. This is another testament to me of the power of God. These two men who were struggling in life had no doubt of God's presence. No doubt.
In 1Nephi 19:6 it reads:
Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men, but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the flesh, I would excuse myself.
Now, there is much to be learned in this but the thought that stuck out to me is all that Nephi has written is sacred. I must search his writings and find the sacred in each passage. I need to ask, 'What about this is sacred?'
Here is my thinking on this.. if God has such great power how can he not instruct me? the other thought that came to mind was that Laman and Lemuel in verse 55 say, "we know of a surety that the Lord is with thee." They had no doubt that the Lord was with Nephi. This is another testament to me of the power of God. These two men who were struggling in life had no doubt of God's presence. No doubt.
In 1Nephi 19:6 it reads:
Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men, but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the flesh, I would excuse myself.
Now, there is much to be learned in this but the thought that stuck out to me is all that Nephi has written is sacred. I must search his writings and find the sacred in each passage. I need to ask, 'What about this is sacred?'
Later in that chapter in verse 23 Nephi talks about liken the scriptures unto us. I need to find what is sacred in the scriptures and I need to liken myself unto the scriptures. Create my being to be as the sacred that I am reading.
There is one more thought that I came up with but I will have to create an addendum because I'm late taking Clayton to school. oops!