Read: Ether 11-13
Mark: Ether 12:27
"The Savior isn't our last chance; He is our only chance. Our only chance to overcome self-doubt and catch a vision of who we may become. Our only chance to repent and have our sins washed clean. Our only chance to purify our hearts, subdue our weaknesses, and avoid the adversary. Our only chance to obtain redemption and exaltation. Our only chance to find peace and happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come." --Sister Sheri L. Dew
To ponder:
What weaknesses has the Lord helped you to overcome? What weaknesses do you still have that you want to be strengths?
I absolutely love today's quote by Sheri Dew! I need to memorize this and place it somewhere that I will see it every single day!
ReplyDeleteOkay, these are more great chapters! I love every single word and thought in Chapter 12. I love that we are provided such a complete summary of what hope combined with faith can accomplish! And how human is it that Moroni (I think it was Moroni, it may have been Ether) was worried about his writing and not having the right words!! I have so often felt this way! And the Lord comes back and says, don't even worry about it! I'll make your weaknesses strengths! Love this, love this, love this!!! We are also reminded of the importance of having charity!
I want to know more about Ether! I know he was righteous and he tried to teach the people from sunrise to sundown, but then he had to hide in a cave! I want to know more about him!
Chapter 11: He does what He says He will do. The things He says will happen as consequences to our actions will happen without any interference from Him. If we are wicked either He will destroy us (to save others and us from further condemnation) or we will destroy ourselves.
ReplyDeleteChapter 12: If God is working miracles it is because there are those who have faith in Him around. What is revealed to each of us is based on our own faith (or other's faith on our behalf). If we want more we will earn it through our faith.
Chapter 13: Ether gave the people all knowledge - he held nothing back, but they rejected all of it. Coriantumr had the chance to listen & save his people but instead chose to live long enough to see all his people die and another people inhabit the promised land. If you ever doubted the ignorance was equal to bondage or that you cannot be saved in ignorance - here is proof! Ignorance and unbelief are shackles. They do nothing but make you blind - not innocent.
I really like these chapters of the BOM. They're beautiful and give so much spiritual insight. I'm a few days late in posting, so my thoughts will be short and simple.
ReplyDeleteEther 12 has so many gems within its verses! The whole chapter in built on the concept of faith. Faith, as we know, is the first principle of the gospel (The Articles of Faith 1:4). It's the building block for anything and everything we wish to accomplish, both in mortality and eternity. I LOVE verses 4, 6, 11-12, 19, 27, 34-35, and 37.
I know that my weaknesses are blessings. And I love verse 37 when it says "And because thous hast seen they weakness thou shalt be made strong..." Truly God knows that we need humility and meekness. We're humbled by our shortcomings and it enables us to see more clearly the plight of others. I think that's why Christ had to experience the Atonement. He had to have more than sympathy. He needed empathy to completely heal us of our woes. We find our causes through our pains and strife. We work the most towards what we want the most, which is usually what is the hardest for us to naturally come by! It's interesting to contemplate.