Alma 9:28 . . . Reap the reward of their works.

“Therefore, prepare ye the way of the Lord, for the time is at hand that all men shall reap a reward of their works . . . .”

I can hardly focus on anything I read anymore because the lives of some of my children are screaming so loud all I can hear is their open rebellion against God.  How did this happen?  How can someone who has so openly professed their love of the Lord and his goodness to them, and basked in His goodness to them, so completely forget the promises they have made to live as He would have them live? Frankly, I would be scared to death.  I don’t get it.

Do the words of the prophets fall on deaf ears:  “. . . ye shall utterly be destroyed from off the face of the earth.” (Alma 9:24)  “. . .it should be far more tolerable for the Lamanites (or the bad guys) than for them.” v22 “Yea, and after having been delivered of God (all three girls were once delivered out of their own dark abyss), . . . and been saved . . . and they having waxed strong in battle, (they were all active in callings), . . . having been brought out of bondage time after time, and having been kept and preserved until now; and they have been prospered until they were rich in all manner of things. . .(they have no idea how much they have been blessed).  (v23)  how could they go “contrary to the light”?  I can not understand. 

But I see a trend among our young people – as well as not so young.  There seems to be a movement toward body worship.  The gyms are full of men and women working to get their bodies fit.  Once they shed pounds and sculpt muscles, there is a desire to show this new “beauty” to the world for their approval.  It seems for some reason that removing their temple garments is the next move.  Granted, not all do this.  But it seems to be a path that many follow.  I worry when young mothers walk out of the gym in their gym clothes and go shopping because they’re already out, or that they go home and get busy cleaning their homes because they’re already sweaty.  I know the temple garment is a protection.  Some would interpret that to be a physical protection, and that’s true.  But it is also an invisible shield against the evils of the world.  Somehow, it tends to keep our minds and spirits focused on things of an eternal nature and when we take them off in open rebellion, we are setting ourselves up for some hard lessons.  I’ve yet to see someone do this but what trouble hasn’t been on the heels of this rebelliousness. 

So where am I going with all this?  I think I’m just rambling.  But my heart is aching as I’ve seen another daughter put aside those things of an eternal nature for the attractions of the world and hope for some kind of happiness.  She has tired of waiting on the Lord.  No doubt she will find out again, that the Lord is quite serious in his commands, his promises, and his fulfillment of those promises – for, no doubt about it, we will all reap the rewards of our works.