Wednesday, December 9, 2009

2 Nephi - Chapter 32


What a wonderful thing.  Once we've entered the path by the gate we receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost who will then reveal to us how to live our lives.  Thus we are admonished to receive personal revelation.
I teach this principle to the youth at the Detention Center by using an Alcoholic's Prayer as my example:

"Lord what would thou have me do today?  Please grant me the strength to do it."
I love to point out to them that this prayer requires that we hear the voice of God in our hearts.  It is always remarkable how willing they are to believe that they can and will actually receive revelation.  My experience has shown that even the worst drunk or most messed up Meth Head is entitled to an answer to both aspects of that simple prayer.  Once we've accepted the notion that God will speak to us.  Then we have to accept the very real fact that God will never ask more of us that we can give.  Additionally, we need to understand that He never expects us to go from point A to point Z in one instantaneous jump.  He is patient, He will only ask us to do today that which He has prepared us to do today.

Most of us have been raised with expectations that often exceed our current, Heaven assissted abilities.  God never does that.  Too often we beat ourselves up by holding ourselves to some lofty standard that God knows we're not quite ready for - yet.  When He says he will teach us line upon line, precept upon precept, this chapter is what He is talking about.  He doesn't demand basket upon box, but line upon line, as we are prepared.  When He tells us what we should do, it shouldn't be scary.  It is always kindly, measured perfectly for our present needs.

2 comments:

di said...

Thank you Candleman...I often want to jump ahead to perfect when I can barely step ahead to adequate.

My thoughts on today's reading...

9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.

I love this verse. So often my performance is for my own glory. I often dread ‘performing’ because I worry about what others will think. I worry that I might not impress….Ahhh pride. It is my downfall. When pride gets between me and my performance, how can it be consecrated unto Christ? How can he, in turn, consecrate it unto my soul. The verse says that PRAYER is the answer to this dilemma. I see great potential in following this counsel.

Myke Weber said...

Elder Maxwell once described me perfectly when he said something about those who serve and then "hang around for a receipt (the glory)." Somehow that little statement made me a lot more sensitive to my glory seeking. Not that it perfected me in that regard, but it does remind me and help me improve.