SONGS OF EVERLASTING JOY

 

Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake saying, I will sing unto the Lord; for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation: my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.

Thy right hand, O Lord is become glorious in power, thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.

Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.

The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.

-          Exodus 15:1-18

“Regardless of where the Ten Tribes are, it will require a miracle to bring them forth. It will be of greater magnitude than the dividing of the Red Sea in the days of Israel’s Exodus. Mountains, ice and a continent of water will stand between the Ten Tribes and the land of Zion when they first appear, but they will ‘smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence’ (D&C 133:26). As they come to the great body of water, dry land will be cast up in the midst of it so that a mighty highway will spread before them (ibid v 27; Isaiah 11:16).” (Cleaon Skousen, “Prophecy and Modern Times” p 56)

And the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence.

And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim.

And they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy.

(D&C 133:31-33

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Artist Unknown)

BLIND TRUST

 

Lehi’s sons’ return to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass from Laban reads like ‘Arabian Nights’ does it not??? Perhaps no other story about Nephi brings to light his obedient character and blind trust he had in God. Much has been expounded upon regarding his immortalized words: “I will go and I will do as the Lord commands….”(1 Nephi 3:7). I would like to add to all the worthy comments about it, what I see in Nephi’s readiness to accept the assignment given:

1. Nephi had just come from ‘speaking with the Lord’ when his father approached him regarding the task of obtaining the brass plates (v 1,2). Would someone fresh from communion of prayer really turn around and say, no, I’m not doing that, even if God commands it!? The fact that Nephi communed with God, I would imagine, constantly, means that he had a relationship with God and was set up for obedience.

2. The next thing to consider is his reply to his father where he said, “I KNOW” that God wouldn’t command us to do anything without providing the way for us to do it (v 7). Knowing is more than believing. Knowing suggests experience. This tells me Nephi was proficient in his faith and trust in God before they even left Jerusalem.

This is, however, what impresses me most about Nephi’s success in obtaining the brass plates.  After a failed attempt and losing all their precious things to treacherous Laban, Nephi's brothers were more than ready to abandon the mission. But not Nephi. In his final attempt to rustle up some enthusiasm, Nephi used a surprisingly high standard of achievement to motivate his brothers to press on. He reminded them of the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea, and asked them to 'be strong like unto Moses'. He then assured them that the Lord is able to deliver them as He did the Israelites of old and to destroy Laban like He destroyed the Egyptians (1 Nephi 4:1-3). But his brothers were not convinced, in fact, they were even more discouraged (1 Nephi 4:4). You can just hear them saying: "This is ridiculous! How can you compare Moses leading 2 million Israelites out of Egypt to this dinky, arduous task we have received from our father?" But it wasn't ridiculous to Nephi. For Nephi getting the plates from Laban was akin to Moses crossing the Red Sea with 2 million people. Why? Because it was beyond his capacity but not beyond God's. And he knew if he couldn't achieve it, that meant that God would. Unlike his brothers who believed that parting the Red Sea was possible for God to do but not possible to deliver into their hands Laban and his fifty (1 Nephi 3:31). Quite a paradox.  Nephi didn't know how he was going to get those plates but he went anyway. The rest of the story we know.

When you are standing on some precipice of life facing something you have to do that is beyond your capacity to achieve, do not back down, only believe. Do not look to your left or to your right but forge straight ahead expecting the God of all might to intervene on your behalf. Nephi moved forward wading waist deep into his Red Sea until it parted. I am certain he never expected Laban to be dished up to him on a silver platter (1 Nephi 4:7,8). All he did was trust the spirit by which he was led (1 Nephi 4:6). The God of miracles did the rest. The God who cares, the God who wants to help us, at every turn, at every corner, on every bank of the Red Sea. To him no challenge is too big or too small. All that matters to you, matters to Him. He is at our front and at our back. When we call, shall He not answer and say, "Here I am" (Isaiah 58:9)? He is our forerunner who prepares the way and our rearward in case we should fall (D&C 49:27; Isaiah 52:12; 3 Nephi 21:29). Can you not rejoice and have hope when you hear:

"Fear thou not, I will help thee, for I am with thee…..I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight....for the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee…."   (Isaiah 41:10,13; 45:2; 54:10).

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Trust In Jesus by Yongsung Kim)

TRUSTING GOD

 

Imagine being born a slave and being in bondage and oppression all your life. Imagine being miraculously delivered with a promise of being led to a land flowing with milk and honey. Imagine the hope and the exhilaration. Now imagine arriving at the banks of a vast sea before you with the mightiest army of the world behind you. What would your thoughts be? Most likely, fear at the back and fear at the front. And why would God who miraculously delivered you from slavery bring you to a body of water to make your escape impossible? Because there comes a time when our difficulties push us in the direction of needed further growth. 

 

Bearing in mind that the Israelites were in Egyptian bondage for 430 years (Exodus 12:40), it is safe to suppose that they needed some serious tutoring as to the nature of the God that they followed. Had the children of Israel been capable of following the coastal route through the war infested Philistine lands to Canaan, their journey would have been relatively short.  To teach them, however,  to have trust in Him, the Lord took them to the Red Sea instead. All night long He caused a strong wind to divide the Red Sea as they crossed over to their freedom (Exodus 14:21,22) and He did not stop there. He destroyed the enemy behind them. 

 

It's interesting to me that the lesson of trust had to be reinforced with Israelites over and over again, that the plagues of Egypt were not enough. And just as stupendous in scope as the plagues, so were the constant miracles that Jehovah performed in their sojourn to Canaan. Following the crossing of the Red Sea, Israelites sang a song of praise expressing their wonder: “Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11). Not long after, however,  the murmuring  began….with over 20 serious instances of it in their wanderings. And so the issue of trust needed to be reinforced over and over.

 

It has been my experience that acceptance of the growth we need in any particular area, comes in increments. The Lord’s wisdom is un-surpassing when it comes to His understanding of our capability to grasp what would propel us to greater heights. The pressure exerted upon us to move up a ladder is only ever equal to our ability to rise. If you have come to the banks of your Red Sea, TRUST that it will part even if you have to wade waist deep…..

 

You opened my heart

And searched for what 

You there did not see;

My feeble faith and lack of trust

Stood in contrast to your will for me.

You sorrowed at the tears I shed

With every step I was led to take

To find You in my hour of agony.

How patiently You stood waiting

With open arms hoping I would come to Thee;

How patiently You hoped

I would give You all that was lacking in me.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Rescue Me by Yongsung Kim)