1 Nephi 15:
8—“… Have ye inquired of the Lord?”
Life is for
learning. A few months ago, I was searching high and low for a new car. As I
looked at hundreds of potential buys, I would always ask myself one question, “Can
this car get me from A to B?” (and most cars listed in the KSL classifieds
couldn’t). However, I hope that when we examine our lives we do not ask
ourselves, “Have I made it to B?” or “Will I ever make it to B?” Instead I hope
that we can have faith. I pray that I can constantly look forward in confidence
and know that the Lord will provide a way for me to make it to ‘B’. I also feel
it is important that we ask ourselves, “What have I learned or what have I
become in the process of traveling to point B?”
Life is full
of questions. These questions are the foundation of our learning. Each question
we face faithfully and courageously helps us to grow. I feel like the Lord will
occasionally let us face confusion and uncertainty. He wants us to turn to him
and inquire of Him. 1 Nephi 15 proceeds the account of Lehi’s dream and later
Nephi’s vision, which is an interpretation of his father’s dream. In the first
few verses, we read yet another interesting interaction between Nephi and his
elder brothers. Nephi understands what his father is teaching, his brothers do
not. Keep in mind they all heard their father’s dream at the same time. They
each heard it the same way the others did. But there was a big difference
between what Nephi did with the information he received and what his brothers
did.
Nephi is an
excellent learner. He desired to know what Lehi was talking about, and he
believed that the Lord was able to teach him what it meant. He pondered in his
heart and then received revelation in the same manner as his father. Laman and
Lemuel disputed over the subject. When Nephi asked them, “..have ye inquired of
the Lord?” they told him they had not, because they did not believe the Lord
would answer their question.
Heavenly
Father is the creator of the universe. He is all-knowing, and gives freely to
those that ask. So why do we not ask? Doubt can be overcome as we humble
ourselves, ask by the prayer of faith, and wait patiently for him to answer. I
know God answers prayers. He may not do it when we want him to, or in the way
we want him to, but He will answer our faith filled prayers. When we receive
answers from a sincere inquiry to the most high, it brings much peace into our
lives. This knowledge we gain shapes and defines our lives. It helps us to
become what God needs us to be along the path from A to B.
The next
time you have a question that just seems unanswerable, I challenge you to ask
yourself, “Have you inquired of the Lord?” I promise that as we do so with a
sincere hear and pure intent, we will receive answers.
“The best way to obtain truth and wisdom is not to ask from books, but
to go to God in prayer, and obtain divine teaching”—Joseph Smith Jr.
