"And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.
And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.
And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness."
1 Nephi 2:2-4
I wonder if any of us are this brave and faithful. To leave everything that you own, everything that it familiar to you... to give up your home and your friends, to risk the wrath and doubting of your own family... and to travel into the unfamiliar... that seems difficult to me, to say the least. But Lehi didn't flinch. He gathered the things that he needed, and left everything else behind. I don't even think that the Lord had told him where he was going yet... just told him to leave. That's amazing. And what it makes me think of today is the path that we take to repentance. Usually those tough, habitual sins are familiar to us. They are the known, and they seem valuable and friendly when compared to the unknown. And we don't know up front where we're headed, only that we have to get out of where we are. It's difficult... and it takes bravery and faithfulness to commit to a change that is new and uncomfortable. We go out into the wilderness or sail out on the ocean, and we're tempted to complain, as some of Lehi's family did, that it's insane to wander out here with no knowledge of our destination... that it's crazy to give up comfort and familiarity for the rough and unknown.
However... just as Lehi eventually made it to the promised land, so we will make it to our final destination. We have the same guide and the same hope, and the same promise. If we are obedient to God, and we leave the familiar at his bidding, the journey may be rough, but we will discover a new land. Something glorious and beautiful... and something that we will never know if we rest in the familiar. Today, let's take those first few steps into the wilderness, trusting God to show us the way.
And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.
And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness."
1 Nephi 2:2-4
I wonder if any of us are this brave and faithful. To leave everything that you own, everything that it familiar to you... to give up your home and your friends, to risk the wrath and doubting of your own family... and to travel into the unfamiliar... that seems difficult to me, to say the least. But Lehi didn't flinch. He gathered the things that he needed, and left everything else behind. I don't even think that the Lord had told him where he was going yet... just told him to leave. That's amazing. And what it makes me think of today is the path that we take to repentance. Usually those tough, habitual sins are familiar to us. They are the known, and they seem valuable and friendly when compared to the unknown. And we don't know up front where we're headed, only that we have to get out of where we are. It's difficult... and it takes bravery and faithfulness to commit to a change that is new and uncomfortable. We go out into the wilderness or sail out on the ocean, and we're tempted to complain, as some of Lehi's family did, that it's insane to wander out here with no knowledge of our destination... that it's crazy to give up comfort and familiarity for the rough and unknown.
However... just as Lehi eventually made it to the promised land, so we will make it to our final destination. We have the same guide and the same hope, and the same promise. If we are obedient to God, and we leave the familiar at his bidding, the journey may be rough, but we will discover a new land. Something glorious and beautiful... and something that we will never know if we rest in the familiar. Today, let's take those first few steps into the wilderness, trusting God to show us the way.
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