My soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker – Enos 1:4 – Come, Follow Me Ponderize
And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.
Each of the prophets and holy men and women in the scriptures highlight different aspects of our journey to come unto Christ. I love Enos, because he is a role model of putting mighty faith into mighty action “that it reached the heavens.” Even the Lord told Enos, in verse 8, that it was “Because of thy faith in Christ.”
This ponderize scripture serves as a formula for those seeking further light and knowledge. Robert D. Hales put it this way in his talk, Finding Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ:
We cannot find Enos-like faith without our own wrestle before God in prayer. I testify that the reward is worth the effort. Remember the pattern: (1) hear the word of God, spoken and written by His servants; (2) let that word sink deep into your heart; (3) hunger in your soul for righteousness; (4) obediently follow gospel laws, ordinances, and covenants; and (5) raise your voice in mighty prayer and supplication, asking in faith to know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I promise that if you do these things sincerely and unceasingly, the words Christ spoke to His disciples will be fulfilled in your life: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Matt. 7:7
This is exactly what Enos experienced, see verse 15 and 16:
15 Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.
16 And I had faith, and I did cry unto God…
Hopefully you caught that; this great promise had been given to him personally by the Lord, “for he had said unto me,” and yet Enos still brought forth his great faith and cried continually unto God. This is so instructive, for regardless of who you are, what status you hold, or even what promises you have been given, the formula for receiving further light, knowledge, and guidance is still the same. There is no entitlement clause, but rather true faith in action.
The Lectures on Faith has some of my favorite quotes on faith and what it really is.
Lecture 1:
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
By this we understand that the principle of power which existed in the bosom of God, by which the worlds were framed, was faith; and that it is by reason of this principle of power existing in the Deity, that all created things exist; so that all things in heaven, on earth, or under the earth exist by reason of faith as it existed in Him.
Lecture 7:
…When men begin to live by faith they begin to draw near to God; and when faith is perfected they are like Him; and because He is saved they are saved also; for they will be in the same situation He is in, because they have come to Him; and when He appears they shall be like Him, for they will see Him as He is.
Let us prove our faith and put it into mighty action by following the formula of Enos, that our prayers could also reach the heavens.
Craig
Recent Comments