I read Mosiah 4 yesterday and came away with an entirely different message because President Oaks' conference talk sent my thoughts in another direction. This morning I returned to the very same chapter and found myself seeing things I completely missed yesterday — important things, like the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Mosiah 4 is a remarkable sermon on the Atonement of Jesus Christ—what He has done for us, what He asks of us, and what we can experience as we follow Him.
King Benjamin reminds us of God's matchless power, wisdom, patience, and longsuffering (verse 6). From the foundation of the world, Jesus Christ was prepared to save us. Our responsibility is to believe in Him, remember Him, pray daily, and remain steadfast and faithful (see verses 9–12).
It is almost impossible to summarize the importance of this chapter.
One promise especially stood out to me: if we continue in faith and care for those in need, we can retain a remission of our sins and walk guiltless before God (see verse 26). What an extraordinary promise.
As I read, I found myself asking, How do I view myself today?
I know I am a child of God. I know Jesus Christ died for me. I know He considered me worth the infinite price He paid. I know He loves me and is involved in the details of my life. I've seen too much evidence of that to deny it.
But I also know where I struggle.
My mind wanders. I work hard not to judge others, but that thorn isn't easily removed. I've been told I complain too much, and I sincerely pray for help with that. I can be critical. Those weaknesses remind me how desperately I need my Savior. I need His mercy. I need His atoning blood to forgive the sins I recognize—and probably many I don't.
Verse 3 touched me deeply. After the people prayed for forgiveness, they were filled with joy and received a remission of their sins.
That made me wonder, What is a fulness of joy?
For me, it is the companionship of the Holy Ghost. It is knowing I have been forgiven. It is peace of conscience that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.
I also noticed something I had never really paid attention to before. The Spirit came after they spoke the desires of their hearts. Those words matter.
That has certainly been true in my own life.
After I prayed for help, I began to recognize the help that had always been there. After I bore testimony of Jesus Christ, I experienced something I have never forgotten. I felt what seemed like warm liquid flowing through my chest. It was real. It wasn't imagined. That witness still burns within me today.
Jesus Christ truly is the only way.
Verse 9 reminds us to believe in God. He knows everything. Sometimes we become rather impressed with ourselves when we solve a difficult problem or create something beautiful. Yet He knew it first.
That thought has changed the way I think about writing music. Whenever I compose a song, I remind myself that the melody was never really mine. He knew it before I ever discovered it. Perhaps my prayers should more often be, "I know You already know how to do this. Will You show me?"
I've actually prayed that way. More than once, He has.
King Benjamin also speaks directly to parents (verses 14–15), reminding them of their responsibility to teach their children. Clyde and I tried. Like every parent, we sometimes wonder if we did enough. But I still believe that when the time is right, our children will remember what they were taught, desire to walk with God, and seek Him sincerely.
The greatest lesson for me this morning wasn't found in a single verse. It was realizing that this is the very same chapter I studied yesterday.
The chapter hadn't changed.
I had.
Perhaps that's one of the greatest blessings of daily scripture study. The Lord can teach us something new from familiar verses because each day, we come with different needs. His word is living, and if we keep returning to it, He keeps teaching us.
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