THE WAYWARD PATH

I have wondered if Adam and Eve ever felt guilty about their transgression in the Garden of Eden. Life in the lone and dreary world was no doubt beyond tough and capable of inducing such guilt. Imagine the relief and joy when they were taught the Gospel and the Plan of Salvation was explained to them, when they understood the role they played in what was meant to be. Their joyful remarks echoes one thing: the excitement of being reunited with God again (Moses 5:10,11)

In eagerness they shared the glad news of the Gospel with their children, and their children, who had multiplied and replenished the earth (Moses 5:2,3). Imagine their dismay when their children and grandchildren didn’t share in their excitement but instead chose to listen to Satan who came among them and told them: “Believe it not” (v 13). And they believed and loved Satan more than God.

When Adam and Eve were blessed with another son their hope revived believing he will not reject God’s words (v 16). He was the son who showed great promise and was even ordained to the Priesthood of Adam (“Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith” p 169). Imagine the blow to his parents when Cain responded to their teachings: “Who is the Lord that I should know him?” (v 16). With such arrogance and pride Cain put himself on the slippery slope to becoming Master Mahan and Lucifer’s partner in instituting the first murder cult in the world (v 31).

Adam and Eve’s sorrow was doubly multiplied when they lost both Cain and his righteous brother Abel. After finally getting a good son who worshipped God and then losing him in such a horrific manner would have been unbearable (Moses 5:32).

I have often wondered about the Proverbs scripture that claims if you “train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). I have a child that I trained up in the right way, a child who showed incredible spiritual promise in childhood but is far from that promise now. I see other friends in the Church with the same dilemma and heartache.

My consolation is that after all I could do, my daughter is now in God’s hands. I am assured by Church leaders that the Lord will reach out to the wandering sheep and call them home. I am also certain that He will on judgment day take into consideration the many obstacles and challenges not known before that our children have had to deal with, rampant mental health being just one of them.

And lastly….If you tend to feel guilty about your wayward children, just remember that our heavenly parents gave birth and raised children that became sons of perdition. They could not have had a more perfect upbringing and tutoring in righteousness. Such is the power of free agency…..but in the end His mercy has prepared kingdoms of glory for most…..through His Beloved Son…..

Will the sinner for whom you suffered,

Who rejected and reviled Thee

Weep in the end for Thy pain and Thy sorrow?

Will his heart understand

When he kneels before Thee

The debt he owes for the existence

Of his merciful tomorrow?

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Rescue by Nathan Greene)

 

WAYWARD CHILDREN

 

This is what I learnt from Nephi today. As I opened the Book of Mormon to start yet another journey through its pages, I noticed a word I had always read but not taken much notice of before. This is the word: “I Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore, I was taught SOMEWHAT in all the learning of my father……” (1 Nephi 1:1). It is easy on first glance of this quoted scripture, to surmise that Nephi was such a good man because of his parents, but it is clear by this word that he did not give them all the credit. The dictionary defines ‘somewhat’ as: to some extent or in some measure or degree. What Nephi is clearly saying here is that ‘the great knowledge of the goodness and mysteries of God’ (v1) was more a product of his own effort than of his parents. That is evident through personal tutoring he received from an angel whilst seeking to know the meaning of his father’s vision of the tree of life (1 Nephi 11). In fact, it can be seen throughout Nephi’s life as he demonstrated how willingly he took responsibility for his own salvation.

 

It is human nature that we as parents beat ourselves up when we have wayward children feeling that we have somehow failed. I have been there myself. What we can learn from Lehi’s family is that our children’s salvation depends more so on them than on us.  Try as they may, Lehi and Sariah did not succeed in keeping all of their children on the straight and narrow. I will not elaborate on parents’ responsibility in parenting here. My intent is to make parents of wayward children know that there is hope through the mercies of the God that we love and worship; a God who honours righteous parents and holds their fragile hearts in the palm of His hands;  a God who sorrows over our wayward children as much as we do; a God who has suffered for their disobedience and destructive choices; a God who desires to save each and every one of us; a God who will not forsake those whom we love and yearn to have back in the fold; a God of mercy; a God of forgiveness; a God of love. This is the assurance: “Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold” (Joseph Smith, “Hope for Parents of Wayward Children”, churchofjesuschrist.org).

 

Fear not, they are in His hands…..

 

 

One day when Your tears cease to fall

For the ones that go astray

And You reach for them from Your throne

Your power to display;

I will praise 

I will rejoice

I will join the heavenly throng in song

For the return of the lost

For whom You suffered for so long. 

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)