28 December 2008 - Thought for the day

We've been admonished to keep a scripture journal. Well, this is my new attempt.

I've been teaching 15-17 year olds in Sunday School this past year. Given that we did a special Christmas lesson last week and we were already behind a couple of lessons, I had three lessons to cover today. Well, as many of you know, there's no way to do that. So, I used the class member study guides and took verses from a chapter in each lesson to discuss. It actually worked out pretty well. One of the verses that struck me, yet again, was Ether 12:4. It reads:

Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

I love this verse. After reading it in class I asked what the verse teaches us about blessings we can receive when we believe in God. The only girl in the class spoke up and pointed out that it talks about hoping for a better world. It is obvious from the verse that this is talking about a better world on the right hand of God. She, however, was talking about this life.

I had a "Well Duh" moment right then. I hadn't ever thought about it that way. I've always thought about the next life. However, with that thinking I've been mission out on half the picture. A belief in God in this life, surely makes this a better world. I can't imagine where I'd be without my knowledge of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'd be totally lost. How true it is that faith leads to hope which makes and ancor to the souls of men. Knowing that God is there, that he is my Father, and that he cares about me strenghtens me tremendously in the face of life's daily challenges. I love Heavenly Father and Jesus and want to be like them and to live with them someday. I want be an instrument in God's hands to bless the lives of my fellow man. That desire comes from the hope that is in me and I can't help but want to abound in good works.

We also studied Ether 12:27.

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

What a wonderful verse. I have a strong testimony of this verse. Through personal experience I know it is true. I have felt the Lord's grace, his enabling power, in my life on multiple ocassions and have been able to accomplish things I never could have done on my own. He has helped me, is helping me, and will continue to help me in the future as I remain humble.