Effectual Prayer

1 Nephi 18

“The effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much” James 5:16

Nephi and his family are commanded by the Lord (through Lehi) to go down into the ship and set sail.  I find it interesting that at this point the Lord is giving direction to both Nephi and Lehi. 

The family is on the ship for many days and the brothers and sons of Ishmael and their wives started to “make themselves merry” (9).  They were rude.  The dictionary defines rudeness as uncouth, offensive and vulgar.  Interesting to me that when a group of people are together for any length of time, and they do not have righteous spiritual moorings, this is the direction they go.  I know what it looks like.  I think of it as becoming too familiar with each other.  When you’re living in close proximity to each other, that is what happens. 

They tie Nephi up.  The Lord allows this to happen.  This is a hard time for Nephi, his family and his parents especially.  As soon as they do, the Liahona ceases to work and the ship is in the middle of a fierce storm.  They are on the brink of perishing in the sea before the brothers put the pieces together.  What are the pieces?  The Lord is not happy with their behavior.  Duh!  I have a note in my margin that is something worth thinking about.  It wasn’t until the fourth day that they realized they were going down if they didn’t release Nephi.  Nephi was the key to their existence at this point.  The answer to “what to do” didn’t come until the fourth watch, aka the fourth day.   We need to remember this when things get tough.  The answers don’t always come immediately – and not as soon as we pray even.  The Lord is constantly teaching us to be patient.  Our trials will work to our eventual good if we will remember to be prayerful and acknowledge His hand in our trials. 

Interesting to note the first thing Nephi did when he was released was to “. . praise him (God) all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions” (v16).  It is attitude.  Two people can experience the same trial.  One will praise the Lord and the other with shake his fist at the Lord.  How things turn out will depend on that attitude. 

What does this mean to me today?  Realize the Lord is working His miracles in my own life as well as the lives of my children and trust in His wisdom.  I pray with all my heart that my prayers are “effectual” and will “availeth much”.