Alma Chapter 14 starts out with Alma and Amulek teaching to the people of Ammonihah and their wicked leader Zeezrom. Zeezrom believes their words, but the people don't! So they lock Alma and Amulek up and start burning the people who did believe them. So as Alma and Amulek watch as all these innocent people are being killed, Amulek says to Alma:
12 "...Behold, perhaps they will burn us also."
But then Alma replies:
13 "...Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not."
Alma didn't even flinch! Can you imagine how much faith that took? He's watching his people die and they're next in line, but Alma knows that God will deliver them. His faith was so strong in following what the Lord would do that he wasn't even scared to die. He completely trusted in God to save them from death. Even after spending many days in jail they hung on to their faith. Finally, after all their afflictions God delivers them out of jail. In a pretty spectacular way too!
"26: And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come upon them.
27: And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.
28: And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the prison, and they were not hurt; for the Lord had granted unto them power, according to their faith which was in Christ. And they straightway came forth out of the prison; and they were loosed from their bands; and the prison had fallen to the earth, and every soul within the walls thereof, save it were Alma and Amulek, was slain; and they straightway came forth into the city."
I like the part in verse 28, how it says according to their faith. If they had not believed that God would save them, then they would not have been saved! But because they continually believed in God and trusted in Him, huge miracles happened. It is according to all our faith that we receive our blessings. Although buildings don't crash in around us, we can still receive help for our problems that we're having. As long as we trust in God and rely fully upon Him, we will always receive the help and the strength we need to get through our problems.
We need faith for miracles to happen, but also as important, we need faith to get us through when miracles don't happen.
ReplyDeleteDennis E Simmons of the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy said...
Our God will deliver us from ridicule and persecution, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from sickness and disease, but if not … . He will deliver us from loneliness, depression, or fear, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from threats, accusations, and insecurity, but if not. … He will deliver us from death or impairment of loved ones, but if not, … we will trust in the Lord.
That is the key to faith. No matter what happens we will trust in the Lord.