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| ©Darrell Wyatt |
Once a week, almost all of my kids bring home a communication report from school. Each child's is a bit different, but the general idea is the same. These reports are to let me know how they're doing in school in various areas - homework, participation in class, relationships with other students, and their overall behavior. Most of the time, it's just a form letter that comes home and I just sign it and send it back. Every once in awhile, however, there's a note from the teacher addressed specifically to me about my child. At first, I didn't really pay attention, because I was so used to the form letter and I didn't notice the extra note. I'd just sign it, as is my habit, without really paying attention. When I finally did see that the teacher was trying to get my attention, I was a little embarrassed that I hadn't noticed before. Now, I pay extra attention each week so that I won't miss anything important again.
I kind of feel like that's what happened as I was reading this morning. I'm in such a habit of reading (yay!), and this blog has helped me pay a lot more attention to what I'm reading, but I still sometimes take it for granted. Sometimes it sort of feels like this: Keep the commandments, love one another, say your prayers, avoid pride, blah, blah, blah. Yes, I know it's probably irreverent to use "blah, blah, blah" when describing the word of God, and of course I don't mean it disrespectfully. But, sometimes as I'm reading, my mind wanders. It feels like I'm reading the same thing over and over - sort of like my kids' form letter communication reports. And then, all of a sudden, when I may or may not have been paying good attention, Mormon adds a personal note.
And these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all. And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil;
And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you...
And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. (Mormon 3:20-22)
Mormon was talking to me. He had a special message just for me, the reader of the Book of Mormon. "Hey! Listen! I'm writing these things for you. Pay attention!"
Mormon was not writing and abridging the plates for the benefit of the people during his time. He really was doing it for us - for our time. We need to know of Christ and have a witness of Him even more than Mormon's people. They had many witnesses and signs and miracles and they did not believe them. As much as Mormon loved them, he understood that they had become so wicked that they wouldn't appreciate his writings. He really was writing to me.
The scriptures are very repetitive, but the authors were not just trying to fill up space. If something is repeated, it's because it's very important for the reader to understand - something that God would have us learn. We are blessed to have written commandments and prophesies to return to again and again. Just like my kids communication reports, I'm grateful that I don't have to hear from God only when I've done something wrong. I can hear his voice daily through the writings of inspired prophets. That's pretty incredible. And an amazing blessing.
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