Colossians 1:21-23

"And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;"
Colossians 1:21-23


This was cool to me today... I think that the "alienated" feeling has happened to me; and that is scary. Feeling alienated from God, from other people... who do you have left?  It isn't a pretty sight.  I like also the part about not being moved away from the hope of the gospel.  I think that is the absolute core of what the gospel is, and when we start feeling hopeless and despairing... that is when we don't have the spirit with us.  On the other hand, when we do have the spirit... it helps us with SO many things.  Ideas for new solutions or things to try with everything in our lives... jobs, art projects, friendships... all of it.  Sincerely, God is great to have around all the time.  He understands everything that we do, like no one else really can.  Let's work on getting unalienated today, and sticking with hope, and with God. :)

1 Nephi 3:31

"And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?"
1 Nephi 3:31


If you recall at this point in the Book of Mormon, Nephi and his brothers had been sent to recover the plates of Laban, and had tried asking nicely, and offering incredible riches. Laban tried to murder them in return, and stole all the gold and precious things that they had brought. So, Laman and Lemuel are mad, and taking it out on their younger brothers. ... then an Angel comes and tells them to stop, and to try again. This is an _Angel_ we're talking... probably all glowy and white; obviously not your everyday person. Messenger from God... and so Laman and Lemuel listen to this, and afterward... they murmur?  I imagine seeing an Angel and then just nodding and doing whatever he or she said because I would still be in a daze... for weeks, months probably... maybe years, just because of the experience.  Perhaps though, in a way, I do the same thing.  When I pray to God to help me overcome my bad habits, or to help me with a certain situation, do I actually believe that I will receive help?  Sometimes I just give up, thinking that I'm not good enough or strong enough or that the situation is just impossible. ... I think that is similar to Laman and Lemuel's murmuring.  God is actively a part of each of our lives.  He listens to our prayers, and he gives us the strength to meet any challenge that we are faced with in our lives.  When we give up, thinking that things are impossible, then we're denying that God is there... disbelieving his promise that he won't give us anything that we can't handle, with his help.  Today, let's remember that God is there, and instead of murmuring, let's walk into each situation we're faced with... confident that the Lord will assist us.

1 Nephi 2:2-4

"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


We've read this scripture many times... even if you just start the Book of Mormon and then get stuck in the Isaiah chapters, you at least get this far. :)  It's part of the opening story, but I think it illustrates some important things about Lehi.  He put God before anything else.  Before his riches, before the complaints of his family, before his own comfort.  I think that is something that I need to work on, and maybe we all do in different ways.  God doesn't always ask us to pack our belongings and leave our homes, but he does ask us to put him first.  Could we leave a job, a house, or a friendship if God asked it?  Today, let's examine what is at the center of our lives... what do we live for? ... and if it isn't God, then let's make some adjustments.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:52

"And whoso receiveth not my voice is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me."
Doctrine and Covenants 84:52


This just blows me away. ... If we don't receive God's voice, we aren't acquainted with it.  It's like a really really good friend is in trouble and calls you collect... and if you know the voice, you will accept the charges no matter what.  Somehow, though, we don't always recognize God as a friend when he calls.  We think it is a wrong number, or a sales call, and so we don't listen.  It's only when we treat God as a stranger that we start asking him to prove things, or start resenting him.  If we understood fully how much of a friend God is to us, and worked on recognizing him and his voice in our everyday lives... we would always have a friend beside us, no matter what.  We would never be without someone to talk to.  Let's work on becoming acquainted with his voice, and stay acquainted with it... let's put some effort into this relationship, and build the friendship that God offers us freely.