The Savior Prays

Today I read 3 Nephi 17, where the Savior has all the people come up to Him again and then He prays for them. I have often wondered at the language the Savior uses to pray. The reason I say that is because the scriptures are very specific that the ear hath not heard nor has the eye seen so great things as we both saw and heard Jesus pray unto the Father.

What type of language is so powerful that it actually conjures up images into the mind when spoken? It reminds me of in Ether when Moroni is talking with the Lord and me mentions that the Lord made the Nephites mighty in speaking but not mighty in writing. I was actually talking with my wife about this just yesterday as we discussed just what it means to be mighty in speaking.

It really doesn't have a record of it here in this chapter but later on we will see and find a written record of what the Savior prays for when He prays. I've often wondered about prayer and contemplated it, especially since reading Alma 32 earlier this year where Alma mentions prayer and worship in the same sense of the word to the Zoramite poor. For some reason I find it comforting that the Savior prays. I am not sure why, I guess I always just thought that the Savior, being who He was could just communicate with the Father without the formal need for prayer. And perhaps He can and He is merely showing a good example to us by praying to the Father.

Whatever the case, the record of what He prays for is very instructive. That is another chapter so we will not go into too much detail here but it is very intriguing to me that He prays for His disciples to be sanctified. It is neat to see that as much power as the Savior has, He still defers to the Father. In a way knowing that is almost comforting on a very basic level. Don't ask me why because I am honestly not really sure.

The other part of this chapter that always has intrigued me is the end where the children have angels come down and minister to them. I've often wondered just what the angels were doing with the children. I personally like to believe that the angels were talking and laughing and having a good time with the children. Some people have the mistaken belief that if you are having a good time, it is not a sacred experience. That is very much not the case. I think as long as it is done in the right way, you can have a good time no matter where you are.

I used to work in the temple as a temple worker before moving and before my wife got pregnant and my Dad used to work on the same days as I did and we used to have a lot of fun together working in the temple. As I grew close to the other workers we too would share the occasional joke or fun story. If it is possible to have good, clean fun in the temple, the most sacred place on earth, then it most definitely is possible to have a good time and be in the midst of a sacred moment. I believe that the Savior and Heavenly Father are inherently happy individuals and laugh often.

The scriptures teach us that our purpose for existing is to have joy. As long as we are having the right kind of joy, the kind that does not drive away the Spirit, then we are fine. But the moment we start to have fun in the world's way or even worse, in Satan's way, we lose the Spirit. And once we have taken those steps and lost the Spirit, it can be very difficult to get it back. Despite the old adage that it's easier to ask forgiveness than it is permission, please understand that is MUCH easier to stay on the strait and narrow path than it is to repent and get back on the path. I hope none of you has to discover that for yourselves. Until tomorrow.