Alma 37 Look to God and Live

Loving father, Alma, pours out his soul to his son Helaman, pleading with him to “look to God and live.”  He explains that the Liahona worked by faith in leading Lehi’s family in the wilderness.  But at times, they were slothful and didn’t look for direction from the Lord.  As a result, they didn’t travel a straight road to the promised land.  Alma pleads with Helaman to “…remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.  Yea, and cry unto God for all they support; yea, let all they doings be unto the Lord.”  There is a clear warning about slothfulness and its negative effects.

 To combat the tendency we all have to be slothful and procrastinate our duty, Alma admonishes us to follow the words of Christ.  If we will follow the words of Christ, He will “…carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.“

I am impressed by the strictness of this parent, even to a very faithful son.  His warnings are very serious:  “And now behold, I tell you by the spirit of prophesy, that if ye transgress the commandments of God, behold, these things (scriptures and plates) which are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of God, and ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as chaff before the wind.”

When we feel pain and guilt for our slothfulness, let us take that pain and use it to motivate us to correct our path.  Satan wants us to use these feelings of remorse as proof of our worthlessness.  Christ has already forgiven us.  The Atonement is in place.  Our conscience, the Holy Spirit, the Light of Christ, will lead us to do good and to feel good.  We must “look to God and live.”