Ether 8
Ether 8
I had to do a double-take to make sure I wasn't reading the same chapter again. The rebellion and cunning ways were the same in chapter 7. I read this and I think, Man, don't they ever learn? It's amazing how evident the patterns of wickedness are when we read it in black and white. Too bad it's not that easy to see in our own lives.
The men are so awful. And then they bring in the woman... She was even worse.
As I read these things, I realized how tired I was of reading about destruction and wickedness and lying and deceit and killing. Why can't they write about happy things?
Then, Moroni (who must have been a mind reader) answers me in verses 23-26. These stories, as bad as they are, are for our benefit and learning. We can see the devastating effects of sin, and, hopefully, understand that we don't want that in our lives.
On the other hand, we see the beautiful blessings that come from faith and obedience, and, hopefully we will want those in our lives.
I love verse 26: 26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have ano power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be bpersuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all crighteousness and be saved.
It really is a blueprint for our eternal success. In the Book of Mormon we learn who we can look to to be saved. That's why it's called Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
I had to do a double-take to make sure I wasn't reading the same chapter again. The rebellion and cunning ways were the same in chapter 7. I read this and I think, Man, don't they ever learn? It's amazing how evident the patterns of wickedness are when we read it in black and white. Too bad it's not that easy to see in our own lives.
The men are so awful. And then they bring in the woman... She was even worse.
As I read these things, I realized how tired I was of reading about destruction and wickedness and lying and deceit and killing. Why can't they write about happy things?
Then, Moroni (who must have been a mind reader) answers me in verses 23-26. These stories, as bad as they are, are for our benefit and learning. We can see the devastating effects of sin, and, hopefully, understand that we don't want that in our lives.
On the other hand, we see the beautiful blessings that come from faith and obedience, and, hopefully we will want those in our lives.
I love verse 26: 26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have ano power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be bpersuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all crighteousness and be saved.
It really is a blueprint for our eternal success. In the Book of Mormon we learn who we can look to to be saved. That's why it's called Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
I had a very strong change of perspective yesterday, hopefully and eternal change. One of those moments when the reason why Moroni tried so hard to speak truth in the last verse of this chapter.
ReplyDeleteI have said, and heard, SO many times "I will try.... "
But the primary song says... "I will go, I will do, the things the Lord commands."
"Try" is now an official cop-out word in my vocabulary. I will not "try" to read my scriptures daily... I will read my scriptures daily. Does this mean perfection? Nope. It means an occasional moment of repentance. But being as I have decided I don't like being in "trouble" I certainly hope those moments are rare.
I will not tell people "I will try to do that" I will tell them yes, no or later.
Why? Because I want to do good. To be good. To follow the Lord and be saved.