Out in the desert they wander

Lately, I've been reading the Book of Mormon backwards. Moroni 10:33 to 1 Nephi 1:1. I don't know what brought me to do it, perhaps I needed to add little seasoning to my study. (I decided to read the individual verses the normal way, fyi. Reading every word backwards seemed ill-advised.) In today's reading, a few verses in Helaman 7 caught my attention. Nephi is on his tower calling Zarahemla to repentance. He bemoans their wicked state and asks, "Why has [God] forsaken you?" He subsequently answers this question himself:

It is because ye have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd; yea, ye have provoked him to anger against you.¹

Image result for The good shepherdNephi declares that the "good shepherd" is angry at the people of Zarahemla, who, by metaphorical implication, are His "sheep." Who is the good shepherd? Jesus Himself said, "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep."² Diving into the metaphor, we find these sheep who will not hearken unto the voice of their shepherd. Let's remember, He's not a mean, demoralizing shepherd; He's a good shepherd - the good shepherd, in fact. He's given them everything they need, He takes care of them; but as He calls them, they run every which way - into the thorny bushes, up the treacherous mountainside, through the wolf-infested wilderness. He's frantically chasing and calling after the ones who have strayed - they're undoubtedly going to suffer - but they won't hearken unto His voice. At this point, his desperation turns into frustration and anger. Why won't they listen? He's trying to save them from their own self-destruction but they think they know better, or maybe they're still ignorant of the danger that awaits them. Whatever the reason, if they continue to refuse to hearken, their fate is assured. As Nephi so terrifyingly taught:

And behold, instead of gathering you, except ye will repent, behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for dogs and wild beasts.³

Clearly, the "repentance" option should be selected for optimum results. Christ is the Good Shepherd, and we are His sheep. He will lead us to the greenest pastures and the stillest waters. He loves us so much. "Because He loves you, He will find you. He will place you upon His shoulders, rejoicing. And when He brings you home, He will say to one and all, 'Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.'"⁴ I stand by those words.



Notes
  1. Helaman 7:17-18
  2. John 10:14(-16)
  3. Helaman 7:19
  4. Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "He Will Place You on His Shoulders and Carry You Home," April 2016.
Additional recommendations:
  • Luke 15:4-6 (or the entire chapter)
  • To see the sheep unite, watch Remember the Titans (2000)


Comments

  1. LauraFebruary 1, 2017 at 7:53 PM

    I love your thoughts, and the fact that you are reading the Book of Mormon backwards cracks me up. He is The Good Shepherd, and he knows his sheep.

    ReplyDelete
  2. HaydenFebruary 4, 2017 at 6:45 AM

    I really love your emphasis on the "good shepard". Just thinking about your facebook post reminds me of an article I read which I believe really is the essence of being a disciple of the "good shepard", especially with all the contention and hard feeling in the world.
    https://www.lds.org/blog/we-dont-have-to-be-the-same-to-be-together?cid=HP_WE_2-2-2017_dOCS_fBLOG_xLIDyL2-2_

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kimball LeavittFebruary 4, 2017 at 10:15 AM

      Thanks, Hayden. Loved the article. Sometimes when I "agree to disagree" I still feel at odds with my "opponent." Realizing the purpose of differences-to love and learn-helps a lot.

      Delete

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