Day 29: June 30, 2011

1 Nephi Chapter 9

Verses 5-6

Nephi states that he makes his record for a wise purpose in the Lord which purpose he knows not. Sometimes we are asked to do things in our life that we don’t understand. We are asked to go through certain trials that we may not see the reason behind, but the Lord knows all things. He asks us to do things for a wise purpose in him. We don’t need to understand the reasons except to know that He knows and that it will be for our good. Nephi also says that the Lord knows all things from the beginning. He prepares away for his children to do all works that he needs us to do. He has all power unto the fulfilling of his words. Something that I lack sometimes is trust that the things I go through in my life have a reason and a purpose. Sometimes I forget that Heavenly Father knows all things. He knows what I need to experience in my life to become the person he needs me to be, the person he knows I can be. How grateful I am to know that he is there and that he will never give me more than I can handle. Sometimes it doesn’t feel that way and sometimes I forget that but he is there to help me when I put forth my best effort. That being said sometimes I give myself more than I can handle when I am complacent with my dedication to doing what’s right. I then put more on my plate then I should and have to become humble before the Lord and ask him for forgiveness and to help me overcome the things that I inflicted upon myself. He loves us. He asks us to do all that we can to become like his son and to be obedient. He knows that even if we do our very best we will still be very far from the finish line. Because of that knowledge, and because of his great love for us, he sent his son Jesus Christ to atone for our sins and to make up that difference. I know I am going a little bit off topic from the verses that I read tonight but as I ponder and write I am filled with gratitude and thoughts that I feel like I need to write. The other day I was visited by my relief society president. We discussed a number of things that helped each of us grow in our understanding and love for one another. One of the things we talked about was the atonement. We talked about the great love that the Savior had for us in his willingness to go through that great event. We talked about how he volunteered for the job. He was a perfect individual and didn’t need to do it. He chose to come to earth and to atone for our sins. Even in the moment when he was suffering and asked if there was another way, he could have stopped and said never mind since really there wasn’t anything in it for him. He wasn’t doing it for power or glory. He wasn’t doing it so he could hold it over our head. He did it because he loves his father and because he loves each one of us. What a powerful thing. Something that I know to be true is that even if I was the ONLY individual who was in need of the atonement, Christ STILL would have come to earth and suffered and performed that great sacrifice. Even if it was only going to benefit just me. He loves me that much. That is hard to fathom sometimes but I am so grateful for it. There are times when I make mistakes, despite me knowledge of better choices. I sometime blatantly go against what I know to be right because I am a natural man or woman. Even in those moments, the savior still loves me and still offers me the opportunity to repent and to make things better. I love the Savior of Jesus Christ. He is my Rock and Redeemer. I need him. Always I need him. I forget sometimes that I need him and I try to do things on my own but he is always there for me when I turn around and remember. The atonement is real. It is an amazing act of selflessness performed through great love for me. I want to remember more often the gift the Lord has given me.