When Alma recorded his conversion experience as it related
to his son, Helaman, he did something quite extraordinary: he wrote it in
poetic chiastic form. It may be the most
exquisite internal evidence of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon in
existence. Sorry folks, Joseph Smith did
not make this stuff up! Chiasm aside,
the message of redemption is central and powerful. As Alma explains to Helaman the moment in his
life when he was “harrowed up by the memory of his sins, being racked with
eternal torment,” in the anguish of a damned soul he “remembered also to have heard my father prophesy…of one
Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world. And as my mind
caught a hold of this thought , I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me…when I thought this, I could
remember my pains no more….And oh what joy, and what marvelous light I did
behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!”
I am struck with the enabling and redemptive power of the
thought centered on Jesus! Once remembered,
the power of a Christ-centered thought transforms an individual from despair to
joy immediately! Dear God fill my mind
with the sweet memory of Jesus. Please
bless me to always remember him! Please let my children forever know of his
mercy and grace.
No comments:
Post a Comment