Saturday, November 1, 2008

How Is It That Ye Have Forgotten? 1 Nephi 7:9--12

How is it that ye have not hearkened unto the word of the Lord? How is it that ye have forgotten that ye have seen an angel of the Lord? Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten what great things the Lord hath done for us, in delivering us out of the hands of Laban, and also that we should obtain the record? Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.

In reprimanding his older brothers for their lack of faith, Nephi provides us with four sources of strength when our own faith is weak.

"How is it that ye have not hearkened unto the word of the Lord?" The first help to which we should look is the scriptures themselves. There we read of the promises of the Lord to us and of the way He has sustained His faithful servants in all generations. As we read of the trials of earlier believers, we can gain insight and inspiration to follow in their footsteps. A good place to start would be to review Hebrews chapter 11, where the Apostle Paul lists the great heroes of faith from Abel through the exodus of Israel from Egypt. He then goes on to say:



"And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the
edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight,
turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to
life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might
obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and
scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were
sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in
sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the
world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens
and caves of the earth. . . all, having obtained a good report through faith . .
. ." (Heb. 11:32-29)
I refer once again to Matthew Henry's eloquent commentary on this passage:


"We should be pleased to think, how great the number of believers was under the Old Testament, and how strong their faith, though the objects of it were not then so fully made known as now. . . It is the excellence of the grace of faith,
that, while it helps men to do great things, like Gideon, it keeps from high and
great thoughts of themselves. Faith, like Barak's, has recourse unto God in all
dangers and difficulties, and then makes grateful returns to God for all mercies
and deliverances. By faith, the servants of God shall overcome even the roaring
lion that goeth about seeking whom he may devour. The believer's faith endures
to the end, and, in dying, gives him victory over death and all his deadly enemies, like Samson. The grace of God often fixes upon very undeserving and ill-deserving persons, to do great things for them and by them. But the grace of faith, wherever it is, will put men upon acknowledging God in all their ways, as Jephthah. It will make men bold and courageous in a good cause. Few ever met with greater trials, few ever showed more lively faith, than David, and he has left a testimony as to the trials and acts of faith, in the book of Psalms, which has been, and ever will be, of great value to the people of God. Those are likely to grow up to be distinguished for faith, who begin betimes, like Samuel, to exercise it. And faith will enable a man to serve God and his generation, in whatever way he may be employed. The interests and powers of kings and kingdoms, are often opposed to God and his people; but God can easily subdue all that set themselves against him. It is a greater honour and happiness to work righteousness than to work miracles. By faith we have comfort of the promises; and by faith we are prepared to wait for the promises, and in due time to receive them. And though we do not hope to have our dead relatives or friends restored to life in this world, yet faith will support under the loss of them, and direct to the hope of a better resurrection. Shall we be most amazed at the
wickedness of human nature, that it is capable of such awful cruelties to fellow-creatures, or at the excellence of Divine grace, that is able to bear up the faithful under such cruelties, and to carry them safely through all?"
Nephi's second source for strengthening faith is the remembrance of our own experiences. He said to his brothers, "How is it that ye have forgotten that ye have seen an angel of the Lord?" Though few of us have the experience of seeing an angel, most of us can remember spiritual gifts, manifestations and blessings of our past -- times when we have felt the presence and power of the Lord's Spirit, giving us strength again. When our faith grows weak, let us remember those times and find there faith that we can receive again the same blessings.

The third source of faith to which Nephi points us is our prior experience of help and deliverance. "Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten what great things the Lord hath done for us, in delivering us out of the hands of Laban, and also that we should obtain the record?" Think of what the Lord has already done for you. Remember the prayers that have been answered, the guidance and deliverance that have been provided and the troubles that were erased. Trust that He who has saved you before can save you again.

Finally, Nephi would have us remember the greatness of the Lord who stands ready to help us in times of difficulty. "Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men . . . ?" Oh, what comfort and courage come from contemplating the Lord's power, knowledge and love! Oh, what assurance is found in knowing that He is unchanging -- that He who has stood by the Saints who have preceded us in every dispensation is the same Savior to whom we look for guidance, deliverance and strength! Our faith in His is rooted in the Plan of Salvation, the central aspects of which are the Creation, the Fall and, most importantly, the Atonement of Christ. As the Prophet Joseph was inspired to declare in Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants:


"By these things [modern revelation] we know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them; And that he created man, male and female, after his own image and in his own likeness, created he them; And gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve him, the only living and true God, and that he should be the only being whom
they should worship. But by the transgression of these holy laws man became sensual and devilish, and became fallen man. Wherefore, the Almighty God gave his Only Begotten Son, as it is written in those scriptures which have been given of him. He suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them. He was crucified, died, and rose again the third day; And ascended into heaven, to sit down on the right hand of the Father, to reign with almighty power according to the will of the Father; That as many as would believe and be baptized in his holy name, and endure in faith to the end, should be saved— Not only those who believed after he came in the meridian of time, in the flesh, but all those from the beginning, even as many as were before he came, who believed in the words of the holy prophets, who spake as they were inspired by the gift of the Holy Ghost, who truly testified of him in all things, should have eternal life, As well as those who should come after, who should believe in the gifts and callings of God by the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of the Father and of the Son; Which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God, infinite and eternal, without end. Amen." (D&C 20:17-28)
Like Nephi, let us find faith and courage in this awesome God and all the blessings He has given us.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain

(Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1923)