Fear God

Yesterday, while contemplating the events of 10 years ago on September 11, I decided to look up the words "terror" and "fear" in the Book of Mormon. I found the battle scene in Mormon chapter 6. The Lamanites and Nephites are gearing up for a huge battle. Mormon is their faithful leader, but the Nephites have lost faith.

Mormon says, "...my people, with their wives and their children, did now behold the armies of the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them. And it came to pass that they came to battle against us, and every soul was filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers" (v. 7-9).

The Lamanites had already gained control over the Nephites by instilling this fear in them. Mormon's men were "hewn down," as he says. 230,000 of them were killed! They didn't seem to even stand a chance. Mormon laments, "O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you! Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen" (v. 17-18).

Contrast that with the story in 3 Nephi chapter 4 when the robbers of Giddianhi are about to attack the Nephites. These robbers are very frightening looking. "...they had a lamb-skin about their loins, and they were dyed in blood, and their heads were shorn...and great and terrible was the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi" (v. 7).

But this group of Nephites were not afraid! Instead, "they did fear their God and did supplicate him for protection" (v. 10). Miraculously, although "great and terrible was the battle" (v. 11), the Nephites prevailed!

Terrorists in our day are not unlike the Lamanites and robbers in the Book of Mormon. They do everything they can to intimidate and make us fear them. We need to realize that whatever we fear controls us. I don't know about you, but I want God to be in control. I fear Him and His judgments because they are eternal, and I surrender control of my unmanageable life to Him.

I am so grateful for those who do not let the "awful fear of death" overcome them, but would rather give their lives in order to protect our freedoms and our faith. I'm thinking of those who stood up to the hijackers on 9/11 and brought the plane down in a field rather than allow a greater number of people to die. I'm thinking of those who give the best years of their lives, and sometimes their lives, in our armed forces.

This country will be in big trouble if we allow fear of men to control us. Let us fear God and rely on Him! After all, that is the principle on which our country was founded. In God We Trust!

Welcome to "My Soul!"

I've started this blog as a place where I can record thoughts and insights gained while studying the Book of Mormon. I hope that by baring a little bit of my soul I might help others to delight in the scriptures as I do. But even if no one else even reads this blog, it will serve as a journal "for the learning and the profit of my children" (2 Nephi 4:15).