The Weight of Light
[1 Nephi 5:20-22] - What are you carrying in your spiritual backpack?
20 And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us. 21 And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children. 22 Wherefore, it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of promise. [1 Nephi 5:20-22]
Nephi’s Not Bragging (v20)
Nephi isn’t bragging that he and his dad had kept the commandments, despite the disbelief, disapproval, defiance, and dueling from other family members. I believe instead that he is making a bold statement about why the Lord had blessed them so much despite so much opposition. As such, you will see as we continue our journey to the Promised Land, that the Lord reminds them (and each of us), often, that as we keep His commandments we, too, will “prosper in the land.”
Words of Great Worth (v21)
What made the Brass Plates so valuable that God would not only risk the lives of His future leader, Nephi, and his brethren—who God also loved—but also send his entire family into the wilderness to continue to preserve them after they potentially perilously procured them? Because they contained God’s Commandments! They contained God’s laws, given in love to guide and guard His children, and so that Lehi could share them with his posterity so they, too, could know who to turn to for help in times of need. Also, so they would know they have a Savior that can help them change their lives for the better and comfort them whenever they were feeling lost and alone. This is what the Holy Scriptures do for each of us today! Even right now, whatever is happening in your life, the Lord can remind you of His love for you and send you reinforcements and encouragements through the words of His Holy Prophets!
The Weight of Light (v22)
If you’ve ever gone on a long hike, you have no doubt realized the strength and endurance it takes to carry heavy things over long trails, up steep hills and mountains. Even light things can become heavier as the miles pile up. But in this case, the weight is from the light found in the words of Christ, contained in the Brass Plates, and was worth the opposition. Today’s Holy Scriptures are not found on brass plates or gold plates, but on paper and have also been digitized. However, with such easy access and even though the entire Christian canon can fit in your pocket and weighs very little compared to the Brass Plates, if you only read it very little, then the weight won’t matter as much. When was the last time you felt the weight of the Light of Christ in your heart? Today, I pray for you that the wait is over.
The Lord’s words really were written and protected just for you. Don’t wait any longer to read and live them!