Have you ever tried to walk in the dark? It doesn’t matter how slow and cautious you are, something is going to surface that will cause a stumble or injury. I got my first broken toe walking around the house at night checking on my kiddos. I had both my hands stretched out wide to make sure I wasn’t going to hit anything and then BAM, my toe hit the corner of the coffee table. There’s no way to be fully protected while in the dark, we need the Lord’s light to guide us safely home!
2 Nephi 12:5 …Come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord
There is no reason to dwell in darkness. The Lord has provided us with all the light that we need to navigate through this life! He has the perfectly laid out paths to follow (gospel), with guide posts all along the way (scriptures, General Conference talks, leaders, teachers, and parents), a personal Liahiona (Holy Ghost) to give specific directions and comfort, and a Savior to catch us when we trip and fall. We must “bind up [our] testimony”, and “look for Him,” and “wait upon the Lord.” (2 Nephi 18:16,17)
The Lord uses plain and simple principles and doctrines to teach the great expansive mysteries of heaven, “My soul delighteth in plainness unto my people, that they may learn.” (2 Nephi 25:4) Satan uses simple, ordinary questions to confuse the faithful and trip the valiant! Is there really a God? Will Christ come and save us? Is there a plan to follow—a correct path to take? Is there truly light in the darkness? “Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Wo unto the wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight! Wo unto the mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink; Who justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” (2 Nephi 15:20-23) As we try and discern truth from all the information floating through cyber world, let us remember the wonderful advice given by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.” Spiritual light, or understanding, comes here a little, there a little. “Thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more.” (2 Nephi 28:30) Through Christ’s plain, gentle teachings, great spiritual understanding is developed, “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” (2 Nephi 21:2)
One of my favorite aspects to “walking in the light of Christ” is that it is a place where everyone is looking out for each other, lifting one another, learning from each other, and doing our best to become one in Christ. It warmed my heart to the very center when Nephi explained his love for the words of Isaiah, “I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children.” (2 Nephi 11: 2) Because here you have Nephi who himself has seen Christ, feasting upon the words of Isaiah—who had also seen Christ. “For he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him.” (2 Nephi 11:2) Which you would then assume Nephi wouldn’t need to lean on or learn from Isaiah, but this isn’t the case in the light of Christ. We are all equals, learning and growing together. So here we have three humble, teachable witnesses of Christ, “And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him,” (2 Nephi 11:3) that we too can lean on and learn from as we journey on—in the light of Christ.
The restoration of the gospel has brought the light of Christ back to earth in its fullness. The Lord never gives up on us! He will always pull us in, and then, if we will come, “his hand is stretched out still.” (2 Nephi 15:25) He will pull us above the world and teach us divine truths. “The mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (2 Nephi 12:2-3) Truths that we can hold fast to and trust, “That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.” (2 Nephi 24:32)
Walking in the light of Christ is never the way of the world, “should not walk in the way of this people… neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid…. Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your fear.” (2 Nephi 18:11,12,13) In His light is where we will find rest from our stumbling blocks, “For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder.” (2 Nephi 19:4) “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (2 Nephi 16:3) On His side we will experience redeeming power, “after the manner of Egypt.” (2 Neohi 20:26) and be filled with His righteousness, “shall overflow with righteousness.” (2 Nephi 20:22)
-Written by Sherri Jorgensen
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