Tuesday, September 23, 2008

I Will Go and Do -- 1 Nephi 3:7

I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.


This is one of the most quoted verses in all of latter-day revelation. It is a promise and assurance that are vital if we are to learn to trust the Lord in all things. It is the marvelous assurance that we can do all that the Lord commands us to do.

Nephi was able to express this assurance, not because of his self-confidence or faith in his own power and ability. He trusted not in himself, but in the kindness of an all powerful and all loving Lord, who could equip him to do whatever was required. Nephi still had to choose to obey and to walk in the path of obedience -- but that path and his ability to walk it he knew could only come from God. His faith was the same as that of the Apostle Paul, who proclaimed "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me," (Phil. 4:13) and who exhorted the Saints at Philippi, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Phil 2:12-13)

The eighteenth century Bible commentator, Matthew Henry, wrote in respect to this passage:

"We must be diligent in the use of all the means which lead to our salvation, persevering therein to the end. With great care, lest, with all our advantages, we should come short. Work out your salvation, for it is God who worketh in you. This encourages us to do our utmost, because our labour shall not be in vain: we must still depend on the grace of God. The working of God's grace in us, is to quicken and engage our endeavours. God's good-will to us, is the cause of his good work in us."
We know that Nephi was a diligent student of the prophet Isaiah. Perhaps he had taken to heart the words we find in Isaiah chapter 40:

"Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that await upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40: 28-31)
On this famous passage from Isaiah, Matthew Henry also wrote:

"Where God had begun the work of grace, he will perfect it. He will help those who, in humble dependence on him, help themselves. As the day, so shall the strength be. In the strength of Divine grace their souls shall ascend above the world. They shall run the way of God's commandments cheerfully. Let us watch against unbelief, pride, and self-confidence. If we go forth in our own strength, we shall faint, and utterly fall; but having our hearts and our hopes in heaven, we shall be carried above all difficulties, and be enabled to lay hold of the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus."
As we learn in holy places, the servants of the Lord may always go forth upon His errand with unfailing confidence that what He has commanded shall be done. They need not respond to Him by saying, "I will try," or "I will do my best." They can have full faith that He who commands empowers them to obey and to accomplish.

Let these thoughts comfort and encourage us when we are worn out in His service, or when we feel a command or assignment is beyond our capacity.

Annie Johnson Flint is an example of persistence in working righteousness. Born in 1866, she was left an orphan before reaching age 6. She hoped to be a composer and concert pianist, but these dreams were shattered by arthritis that began to afflict her as a teenager and took away her ability to walk. Later, unable any longer to play the piano, she turned to writing poetry. Eventually, arthritis left her unable to even open her hands enough to hold a pen. She turned to writing on a typewriter, using only her knuckles. Thus, she came to write the encouraging words of the following hymn:

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials he multiplies peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

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