Endure to the End

2 Nephi 1:15

But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.

I want the same confidence that Lehi had. I don't have to know that I will be exalted in the resurrection. Still, I want to know at least that I have been redeemed, that my repentance has been sufficient to allow Jesus to wash my garments in His blood. Hence, they are spotless and white, and I shall find myself in paradise and not spirit prison, that I will be a teacher of the gospel and not a prisoner who must still be taught. 

I assume I will be in paradise, for I have received the ordinances and covenants that satisfy the performances of the law, but assuming is not enough. I believe my actions, at least here at the end, are sufficiently pleasing to God, but believing isn't enough. I want to know of my standing before God. If I am still not right before Him, I want to know what I can do better to please Him.  

I cannot change the past; only Jesus can do that through His atonement. But I can choose my best future. I can choose to let God change me, fix my twisted wiring, and show me my best path. 

O Father, I'm sorry I spent so much of my life in pride and stubbornness. I thought I was on the right path, but I see now that I was a Pharisee instead of a disciple. O God, please change me, work in me, fix me. Accept my imperfect surrender. Apply Christ's atonement to me. Show me how to please You and grant me the grace of Christ to do what You tell me to do. Don't give up on me. Give me the courage to not give up on myself. Strengthen me through grace to endure to the end in a life of righteousness that will qualify me to be fully redeemed, so I may enter into Your rest.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Everything Has a Purpose

Image
2 Nephi 2:12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God. God is intelligent and purposeful. He does not create the stars, galaxies, solar systems, and Earth simply to enjoy the act of creation. Everything has a purpose with God. I may not know all the purposes of God, but when I see His creations working together, they make sense. Nothing is random, accidental, or coincidental with God.  I am most blessed that through the restored gospel and the gift of revelation, I have learned the purpose and reason behind God's magnificently creative work: to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children. If all around me does not make sense, it is because I am either ignorant or rebellious. If I am ignorant, I should seek learning; and if I am ...
Read more

Redemption

Image
2 Nephi 2:6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. To be redeemed has many meanings, all positive and beneficial:  To be bought back so we can be returned to our rightful owner To be freed from something detrimental, such as freed from captivity or extricated from something detrimental To receive help in overcoming a problem To be released from blame or debt  To change for the better To restore or repair To be freed from a lien or debt To make good on a promise To redeem always involves an exchange of value and recovering from a worse state to a better state. In every one of these ways, Christ is my Redeemer. He is the one who returns me to God, frees me from the captivity of hell and death, helps me overcome my weaknesses and mortal nature, releases me from the guilt of sin, changes me into a better person fit for God's presence, restores my lost relationship with the Father, releases me from the demands of justice, an...
Read more

Heaven or Hell -- No Gray

Image
2 Nephi 2:7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered. At the final judgment, when it comes to atonement, sanctification, and justification, I will be either in or out. I will not be partially forgiven or partially saved. Either I will be redeemed from the fall and my sins, or I will not. Thus, the concept of a binary state--heaven or hell. No gray area exists between the two. Either I accept Jesus's payment for my sins, or I pay for them myself. Remember, once a person is cast into prison, he cannot come out until he has paid the last farthing or senine. And can he pay any farthings or senines while in prison? No. Punishment does not redeem a person or pay their debt. While the debtor is in prison, the lender remains unpaid, justice is unfulfilled, and they are in an eternal stalemate.  How foolish to reject the atonement of Chr...
Read more