3 Nephi 17
3 Nephi 17
The first principle we learn in this chapter is that knowledge and understanding come from God. They sat at the feet of the Savior Himself and still did not fully understand.
Hearing is only the first step to understanding. The other two are to ponder, then to pray and ask God what to help them understand it all.
There is also another step before hearing that the Savior asked them to do the next day: Prepare their minds.
So, the steps to understanding things of a spiritual nature are:
1. Prepare your mind.
2. Prick your ears (Listen to the word- had to find another P word for all it to fit in! Pretty posh, huh!)
3. Ponder what you have heard (read)
4. Pray for further understanding and confirmation of its truthfulness.
We know that there is a fifth step to this as well:
5. Practice what you have learned.
Knowledge means nothing if it doesn't motivate is to be better.
Another powerful P word in this chapter is used by the Savior Himself: Perceive.
To perceive is to see with understanding.
When we follow the steps to understanding stated above, we will be able to perceive life, people, and ourselves, differently- in a more pure light. We will be able to see things with the aid of God's vision. and oh, much more beautiful everything looks when we do that!
He perceived their faith and was moved by compassion to heal them.
He prayed for them. The prayer of the Savior here must of have been beautiful. I cannot even begin to imagine.
Then he prayed for the little ones, and angels ministered unto them.
Another Walter Rane painting.
All of these miraculous things happened AFTER Jesus perceived their faith.
Faith precedes miracles.
Our teacher in Relief Society said: "Miracles don't build faith, they confirm faith."
What did you think/learn today?
The first principle we learn in this chapter is that knowledge and understanding come from God. They sat at the feet of the Savior Himself and still did not fully understand.
Hearing is only the first step to understanding. The other two are to ponder, then to pray and ask God what to help them understand it all.
There is also another step before hearing that the Savior asked them to do the next day: Prepare their minds.
So, the steps to understanding things of a spiritual nature are:
1. Prepare your mind.
2. Prick your ears (Listen to the word- had to find another P word for all it to fit in! Pretty posh, huh!)
3. Ponder what you have heard (read)
4. Pray for further understanding and confirmation of its truthfulness.
We know that there is a fifth step to this as well:
5. Practice what you have learned.
Knowledge means nothing if it doesn't motivate is to be better.
Another powerful P word in this chapter is used by the Savior Himself: Perceive.
To perceive is to see with understanding.
When we follow the steps to understanding stated above, we will be able to perceive life, people, and ourselves, differently- in a more pure light. We will be able to see things with the aid of God's vision. and oh, much more beautiful everything looks when we do that!
He perceived their faith and was moved by compassion to heal them.
He prayed for them. The prayer of the Savior here must of have been beautiful. I cannot even begin to imagine.
Then he prayed for the little ones, and angels ministered unto them.
Another Walter Rane painting.
All of these miraculous things happened AFTER Jesus perceived their faith.
Faith precedes miracles.
Our teacher in Relief Society said: "Miracles don't build faith, they confirm faith."
What did you think/learn today?
I loved this chapter. Anything in the scriptures that mentions children "speaks out" to me. I think the "P" steps that you outlined would help when we go to the temple.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures of the Savior are beautiful.
I know I am a bit late commenting on this chapter, but I had to write something. As I read the part about Christ with the children, and looked at the beautiful pictures you shared, I couldn't help but think to myself about how I would feel as a mother if I had a child that had this experience with Jesus. It would have been so moving and wonderful. I know tears would have been streaming down on face to see my children sitting on his lap. I loved the verse that said, "and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father." What a truly happy time that must have been. I hope we can have happy times like this in the eternities too.
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