2 Nephi Chapter 7

Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light? ~ 2 Nephi 7:10

This was a hard chapter to climb back in the saddle on. I chose this verse because I think I understand it. This is Isaiah speaking Messianically of course. It seems like a rhetorical question to me. It is saying basically - who among you has obeyed the Lord and walks in the darkness without light? The answer is none of us. To obey the Lord is to walk in the light, even in the darkest of circumstances.

I like that Heavenly Father has made it rather simple for us. All we have to do is obey the voice of the Lord and of his servants, so keep the commandments, and we will walk in the light. Which means we will be safe (and saved). We are the ones that muck it up and make it so hard for ourselves. Unnecessarily complicating things must be part of being mortal, one of those 'natural man' things that we need to get over.

Do you want to read this verse in context? Read all of 2 Nephi Chapter 7.

2 Nephi Chapter 6

Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah. 2 Nephi 6:13

For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him...

I like that a lot. You see the phrase 'the chosen people' or 'God's chosen people' a lot. In a very real way we have chosen God and he has chosen us back.

I like this concept because it sounds so mutual. I guess that really is the nature of a covenant. It is a promise between God and man.

As Latter Day Saints we have the opportunity to make a lot of covenants. I am so grateful for that. It isn't always easy to keep them. Oh it is easy to keep some of them. Certain ones are no-brainers so to speak, though the easy ones to me may not be the easy ones to you. Others are more challenging.

I am so grateful for the wisdom of the Lord because I know this helps us grow. I wait for Him too. It will be wonderful when he comes again.

Do you want to read this verse in context? Read all of 2 Nephi Chapter 6.

2 Nephi Chapter 5

And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness. 2 Nephi 5:24

This is the scripture that leaped out at me tonight. It has been a long week. My little one has been sick, along with my husband, and various other craziness.

I don't think I've been living after the manner of happiness. Sometimes it is hard to remember to slow down and think, and to live each day thoroughly, instead of as quickly as possible.

I need to pray more, laugh more, forgive more, and love more. I need to be more diligent. I need to be less hasty, less judgmental, less quick to anger, etc.

I think if I did all these things I would be living after the manner of happiness. God means us to have great joy. I am sure in His eyes we waste a lot of what we've been given, just in unecessary worry.

Each day I want to take the opportunity to notice more and to be more in the moment. That is one goal for this week.

Do you want to read this verse in context? Read all of 2 Nephi Chapter 5.

2 Nephi Chapter 4

Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul. ~ 2 Nephi 4:28

This is a great scripture. I love the second line best, "No longer droop in sin.". It makes me thinking slouching.

My mother always told me to stand up straight. In a way Lehi is saying the same thing. Our souls need to stand up straight. Which is the same as saying we need to keep the commandments and do what is right.

This is something we need to hear all the time, at least I do. I know one reason we are supposed to go to church every Sunday is so we have the constant reminder to do the things we are supposed to.

I also love the idea of not giving sin a place in our hearts. Sometimes that means giving up something, maybe something that is kind of a gray area. That is even harder sometimes than not doing something obviously bad.

Do you want to read this verse in context? Read all of 2 Nephi Chapter 4.

2 Nephi Chapter 3

And now, blessed art thou, Joseph. Behold, thou art little; wherefore hearken unto the words of thy brother, Nephi, and it shall be done unto thee even according to the words which I have spoken. Remember the words of thy dying father. Amen. ~ 2 Nephi 3:25

First of all this is a great chapter with lots of beautiful scriptures. In this chapter Lehi is speaking to his son Joseph. The last chapter was him speaking to Jacob. I am sure I forgot to say that.

There is a lot of great prophecy here to Joseph about Joseph from Egypt and also Joseph Smith. I ignore those (for the purpose of this blog) and chose the one I did for what I can only term as a personal reason.

I have one child and she is just over a year old. While I was pregnant with her I lost my step-mother and then shortly after she was born I lost my father. I can picture Lehi blessing his sons and wanting so badly to leave them with the best advice he can.

So to Joseph he said, "You are little, listen to your older brother and remember my words." It kind of makes tears well up in my eyes. I don't like to think of having to say goodbye to my baby but I know I would want her to listen to someone I trusted and to remember me.

Totally sentimental of me :)

Want to read this verse in context? Read all of 2 Nephi Chapter 3.

2 Nephi Chapter 2

And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. ~ 2 Nephi 2:26-27

This is one of my all time favorites. I love where it says we are free to act and not to be acted upon. I don't think a lot of people realize what power we have. We really are free to shape our lives here, as well as in the eternities.

The scripture touches on the fact that we are subject to the law, but that through the Mediator - Jesus Christ - we can be free in the end.

I know that Jesus died for me, that He personally knows me, and that he understands me better than anyone. Honestly some days that is not the first thing on my mind, but often it is very apparent to me. There are days that I especially need to remember that and feel His love.

I know by being worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost I can feel it more often.

Do you want to read this verse in context? Read all of 2 Nephi Chapter 2.

2 Nephi Chapter 1

O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe. ~ 2 Nephi 1:13

This chapter is mostly Lehi speaking to his sons right before his death. He is particularly speaking to Laman and Lemuel here. They've always been quick to complain and sin and he wants to say one final thing to help them.

I get a strong picture in my head of someone bound when I read this. Chained, and clouded over, and desolate. Lehi must have felt such anguish for them. He loved them so much, as many parents do, and grieved for their decisions.

Reading this also reminds me that it is our choice to move out darkness. We choose, every day, whether by action or inaction, to move toward the light or away from it. There is nothing our Heavenly Father cannot help us with, no matter how hopeless it seems.

Do you want to read this verse in context? Read all of 2 Nephi Chapter 1.