This chapter contains more words of wisdom from Alma to his
son Helaman. It is full of precious gems that we can apply to our lives, and I
especially appreciate this parental counseling because I just became a parent
for the first time last week! My most important job as a mom will be to teach
my little girl who she is, who God is, and what He expects of her and promises
to her in return. From this chapter I want to make sure she understands the
following:
6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.
This scripture gives me hope, because most of the time I am
not capable of doing big things, but there are many small things I can do to
make a difference. I think this also means that the Lord doesn’t always have to
work big miracles to answer your prayers, but He can answer them through small
means that work just as effectively.
16… for God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words.17 For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers.
God is a God of promises. He extends many invitations to us
to make promises with Him, and he promises many blessings to us in return for
making and keeping these sacred promises (the scriptures are FULL of these
promises). He ALWAYS upholds his part of the bargain when we keep ours. God
cannot default from His promises when we are faithful on our part. Sometimes we
don’t see His hand immediately, but in time He will always pull through.
36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.
37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
This scripture always serves the purpose of reminding me to
make God more central in my life. It causes me to ask myself,
“how many times today did I think of God? How many times did I ask God for
help? How many times did I thank God for the good in today? Did I care/think
more about God today than other distractions in my life?”
I also find these verses particularly relevant right now as
a new mom, because now more than I ever I want to be “counsdling with the Lord
in all my doings that he may direct me for good” because the job I have in
physically and spiritually caring for this tiny soul is well beyond my own
expertise and ability. But God is an expert at this stuff, and I know
he will direct me for good as I seek His help.
The last part pulls a great lesson from an experience
we read in 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon. Lehi and his family were traveling
through the wilderness and God sent them a golden
compass called the Liahona to direct them. When they were faithful
and good, the compass worked. When they ignored it or had sour attitudes, the
compass didn’t work. The word of God works exactly the same in our
lives! Don’t waste the Liahona you have been given and wander aimlessly
in the wilderness!
38 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it.40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means…They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.
