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)