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In Christ, there is a place we find rest, a sweet and calm assurance that the Master of the winds and waves is at the helm of our lives (1 Ne. 20:18). After the mighty struggle Enos had in fervent prayer, pleading and praying, emptying and pouring out his soul, he felt connected with Heaven, and Divine peace washed over Him (Enos 1:2-4) (1:5-7, 17, 27). This kénōsis (self-emptying) that Enos demonstrated is one I have also experienced in my own life and it too has brought me rest. As I have "poured out" in prayer to God, Christ has “poured out to me” with His spirit. As I have poured out all my strength - He has given me His strength. As I have poured out all my thoughts - He has given me His thoughts. As I have gone to the Lord fully and completely submissive, tearing open and emptying my soul to my Father - Christ has entered into the void of my heart and filled it to overflowing and I am at peace.
The Lord, in His mercy, wants all of us to feel this peace and assurance. It is His invitation to everyone, even those who refuse to listen (1 Ne. 20:7,8). “The Good Shepherd calls after [us]” time and time again (Alma 5:38,60). He is incredibly patient. His “arms of mercy are extended towards [us] and He saith: repent, and I will receive you” (Alma 5:33). The Nephites, Enos, Alma, and all those who hearken are “strengthened by the hand of the Lord” and “He [does] hear [their] cries” (Alma 2:28).
As our hungry souls are nourished, we can know it is by the power of the Savior that we are fed because it will turn us away from ourselves and give us greater concern for our fellow man. Enos exemplified this when he “began to feel a desire for the welfare of [his] brethren” (Enos 1:9).
While pondering upon the welfare of the others, we might remember that the Lord calls to His servants to “Go to them that sit in darkness” and He will “give for thee a light” (1 Ne. 21: 6,9). The scriptures illustrate the Lord’s compassion for those “in the dark,” they state that He “delivered their souls from hell,” “He changed their hearts,” and “awakened them out of a deep sleep.” “They were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated” (Alma 5:6,7). This illumination is generated from the power of covenant, from being connected to the True Vine through “repentance and redemption, and faith on the Lord” (Mosiah 18:7). It comes from us having a “mighty change of heart” (Alma 5:14) and sincere desire to walk as Jesus walked, to talk as Jesus talked, to love as He loved, to live as He lived, and ultimately become as He became, “meek, submissive, patient, full of love, and all longsuffering” (Alma 13:28). He bore the burdens of others, mourned with those that mourn, gave comfort to those who stood in need of comfort every waking moment of His life, “even unto death” (Mosiah 18:8,9).
It doesn’t really matter the reason why people mourn, whether they have brought the sorrow upon themselves, if it is despair from sin, or simply heartache from circumstances or situations beyond their control. When it comes to compassion, the Lord does not differentiate between who He extends his arm of mercy to (Alma 5:33) and He bids us to do the same.
But what about our own moments of misery? At times like these, it is easy for us to feel totally alone and utterly helpless. We may even begin to feel forgotten or even rejected (1 Ne. 21:14). But just as the Lord states in 1 Ne. 21:15,16, we see that He does not forget us, because He has “engraven [us] upon the palms of [His] hands.” His love for every individual is matchless because He has felt every pain, every sin, every temptation, every sorrow, and heartache as if they were His own (Mosiah 3:7) (Alma 7:11,12).
Reading over the Isaiah chapters quoted in 1 Nephi 20 and 21 and touching on the books of Enos, Mosiah, and Alma, we observe an overarching theme of love that describes the true character of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He longs for us to come unto Him. We are His sheep and He is our Shepherd, He wants to feed us, to lead us to green pastures, and fill our souls with living water (Alma 5:33,38).
Perhaps we have strayed and feel that we are no longer worthy of His illuminating presence. We may run away or even hide. Yet in the dark of night, He continues to shine and call out servants to help find that which is lost. With outstretched arms, we see the wounds He suffered. We recognize them instantly, for they are our wounds (1 Ne. 21:16). That which carved the holes in His hands and side are our heartaches, our sins, our temptations, and sufferings. Herein we discover that we can trust Him, completely and fully because He has walked the path we have walked. Our “hearts are changed” by this understanding and we “feel to sing the song of redeeming love” (Alma 5:26). In Christ we witness the most truly amazing love story ever told.
-Alicia
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I remember singing this for the first time in my high school choir group.
This hymn is my testimony!
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