Monday, March 25, 2013

Alma 41:3-6

"And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good.
And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them for evil. Therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order, every thing to its natural frame--mortality raised to immortality, corruption to incorruption--raised to endless happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other on the other—
The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.
And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness."
Alma 41:3-6


This is a good thing to ponder.  If what we do and what we desire get restored to us... are we doing and desiring things that we even *want* back in our lives for eternity?  Is the way we are treating others the way that we would like God to treat us?  Are our desires linking up with our actions?  Sometimes we are trying to act right, but in our hearts we want something else... and that is a great way to begin to teach ourselves obedience, but eventually we need to learn both correct action and correct desire, together.  I think that these verses show us both how important it is to be consistent within, and also the huge value of love and forgiveness.  We don't want vengeance restored to us in the resurrection... or hatred, or anger.  We have to let those things go, because what we really want in the end is love, and acceptance, and belonging.  We want God to welcome us and love us and teach us everything good (including walking on the water).  ... And what we want from God is what we have to BE, because our judgment is a returning to us of everything that we have been.  Not surprising, since choosing to follow God is choosing to be a new, different person... to be born again, changed inside and out.  Today, can we love others as we want God to love us?  Can we welcome all and show them kindness, despite their weaknesses and faults?  If so, then God will do the same for us.  Let's work really hard on that one. :)

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