A More Personal Relationship with the Savior - entry #2

If you'd like to read my previous entry and learn more about this program click HERE.

• Alma 5:14-16 – “And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God?  Have ye received his image in your countenances?  Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?  Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?  Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?  I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day:  Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?  I love Alma chapter 5.  I love that it asks so many introspective questions.  I think this technique allows people to really judge their actions themselves without feeling judged by the person teaching.  During the first part of these verses I feel that Alma is describing what it means to be truly converted and consecrated to the Lord--spiritually born of God (baptism), His image in your countenances (taking upon you His name, doing what the Savior would do), mighty change in your hearts (thinking of others more than yourself by stripping yourself of pride and sharing the gospel), exercising faith (obedience in keeping the commandments and acting on your beliefs).  It is important that we do each of these things in this life because we will be judged of God.  These things will keep us on the straight and narrow path.  If we try our best to do these things and repent and return again to God and to His path through the grace of Jesus Christ after we sin and mess up then we can feel confident that the Lord will say to us “Come unto me ye blessed.”  What could be better than that? 

• Proverbs 31:30-31 – “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.  Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”  To me this scripture speaks of motherhood, and service.  Finding favor with man and concentrating on beauty should not be our top priorities.  Fearing the Lord, or keeping his commandments and doing his work should be our priorities and should be where we give most of our time and energy.  Those are the things that will bring praise.  What is the Lord’s work? Bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39).  Bearing and raising children and spreading and sharing the gospel are the fruits of our labors that will be able to be carried with us into the next life.  Our children and those we teach will be able to “praise us in the gates.”