Consider the Lilies of the Field

3 Nephi 13
see also Matthew 6

Today's study seemed to be answering the worries of my heart.  I know I'm not alone.  These are difficult, challenging times.  Many are struggling financially.  Add to that health issues.  And do we ever stop worrying about our kids?  Nope, I don't think so.

v. 8 ...for your Father ^aknoweth what things ye have need of before ye ^bask him.

My Heavenly Father knows me.  He is mindful of me.  He knows the troubles and worries of my heart.  And He knows just what I need, even before I ask.  Notice it doesn't say what things ye want, but what things ye need.  It isn't always the same thing, is it?

I've often thought, if God knows what I need, why do I need to ask?   But it really isn't about asking.  It's about approaching.  It's about humbling myself and coming to Him.  It's about aligning myself with His will and being prepared to accept His gift.

Because, how many times does He give us a gift, and we are not ready to receive it?  It isn't what we want, so we rail against it and throw it back in His face.  We are not at all grateful for this thing that we NEED in our lives right now.

v. 9 After this ^amanner therefore ^bpray ye: Our ^cFather who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

v. 10 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

v. 11 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

v. 12 And ^alead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

v. 13 For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

This is not a prayer of supplication.  God is not a magic genie waiting to grant wishes.  This is a prayer of approaching, a prayer of alignment, a prayer of humbling and accepting.

v. 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where ^amoth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;

v. 20 But lay up for yourselves ^atreasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

v. 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 v. 26 Behold the ^afowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

v. 28 ...Consider the ^alilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;

v. 29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these.

v. 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

v. 32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

v. 33 But ^aseek ye first the ^bkingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

These verses are a call to me, lay down your worries.  There will always be money enough, food enough, clothing enough to get you through day by day.  All I need to worry is that there is love enough, and that I am focusing on my treasures -- my family.  My focus and energy should be on each of them, and leave the rest to my Heavenly Father.

The Doctrine of Christ

2 Nephi 31-33

2 Nephi 31:13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall ^afollow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no ^bhypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real ^cintent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are ^dwilling to take upon you the ^ename of Christ, by ^fbaptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the ^gbaptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the ^htongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel.
 
The doctrine of Christ is simple, and taught by Jesus Christ himself.  Have faith in Him.  Repent of your sins.  Follow Him into the waters of baptism.  Then receive the Holy Ghost.  Finally, endure to the end.

Many people believe it is enough to stop at the first step: to believe in Christ and His power to save.  They deny themselves the power of the process, the lifetime of healing and growth that He offers us.

The Holy Ghost tells us what we should do next.  It inspires us to live Christ-like lives.  It leads us to do good.  It illuminates weaknesses and inspires us to change.  It turns us to our Savior, the only one who can make the necessary changes to our hearts, to our nature.  Jesus Christ did not save us just once.  He saves us over and over again, as many times as we sin, as many times as we fail, as many times as we fall short of the person He knows we can be.  It is by drawing on that process -- having faith and repenting of our sins and weaknesses -- that we draw upon the power of the atonement.  It is that process that makes us more like Him.

I know that I want to feel the Holy Ghost more powerfully in my life.  Nephi taught the way is by prayer.  Pray always, morning and night, and sometimes in the middle of the day, too.  I know I do this.  A thought comes to mind -- oh, Johnette has a test today -- and I'll say a quick prayer in my mind, "Bless her to do her best."  When I'm suffering, I pray, "Lord, I'm having a really tough time."  When I think about our business struggling, I'll ask him to bless my husband and send an interesting customer to make him happy that day.  When somebody mentions that they or a loved one is sick or having a hard time, I pray in my mind, "Lord, bless them through their afflictions.  Help them like you've helped me."  Just quickies.  But I can make these prayers more frequent, and I can ask for help and invite the Holy Ghost to lead me better.

I want to be kind.  I want to find opportunities to do acts of kindness, even though I am pretty much housebound and isolated from the people I would normally be kind to.  I'll try to remember to say some quick prayers to help me see those opportunities.

Kind of along those lines, I've been praying for the family I don't much like in the neighborhood.  It's helping me to step away from my judgments.  What do I really know about them, anyway?  Only what I've seen from a distance.  My prayers are softening my heart, I believe.  It's a good step forward.

The Test

Alma 5:45-46   Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3   John 14:26   Moroni 10:3-5

God has given to all men, everywhere, a gift.  It is not necessary to lean upon our own understanding, to be tossed by the winds of opinion, to be left to our own devices to figure out what is truth and what is deception.  What father would do that to his children?  No, God has given us a very sure way to let us know truth.  If we ask, He'll simply tell us.

When we come to God, humble and sincere, earnestly seeking, He will give us the answers we are seeking.  All we have to do is pray to Him.  Heavenly Father, are you there?  Are you listening?  Do you care about me?  Am I important to you?  I'm trying to do my best here.  I want to be better.  I want to follow the truth.  Can you help me?

He answers us through the Holy Ghost, His comforter.  Oh, how comforting it is when we receive the answers to those questions.  Yes, child, I am here, and I love you more than you can fathom.  You are important to me, and all your questions are important to me.  I'm so proud of the good that you are doing with your life.  I'm happy you want to do better.  I will lead you to the truth.  When you find it, I will light up your heart so that you recognize it, without doubt.  It will be a gift to you, one of many gifts I am waiting to give you.

He is waiting.  Just ask.