Take No Thought

When we returned from our Labor Day weekend trip to Palmyra, we were greeted by a sweet gesture. Someone had "heart-attacked" us.  Paper heart cut-outs containing encouraging words and scripture references were taped all over our front door and windows.

It was really sweet.

There were a LOT of scripture references, so I decided to sit down at the table and look them all up, and then copy them in to my scripture journal.

Remember our Scripture Study Plan we embarked on a few months ago?  (I outlined it in this post.)  It has been a great way to go deeper and to have personalized time in the scriptures.  We're still doing it, but intermittently.  As we get used to new school schedules, we're figuring out how family scripture study will look now that Guy, our 7th grader, leaves for the bus two hours before the rest of the crew!

One day this week, something funny happened. I knew Guy had slept in and after hurriedly getting dressed and packing his lunch only had a minute before he had to leave for the bus. I also knew he hadn't had any breakfast (which he didn't seem to mind too much.)  I promised Guy that if he stayed one minute more and let me read scriptures to him, he'd read something amazing. So he stayed.

Not knowing what the amazing thing would be, I opened my app and started reading right where we had left off.  I read Alma 31:37-38: 

"37 And after that they did separate themselves one from another, taking no thought for themselves what they should eat, or what they should drink, or what they should put on.

38 And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not, neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith."

Both of us found this pretty fun...So, after that Guy "separated" himself from us to go to the bus stop, taking "no thought for what he should eat" (a.k.a. he grabbed an apple).  I told him on his way out that he should follow the example of Alma and pray in faith that he should not hunger and that his afflictions would be swallowed up in the joy of Christ!  (Good thing he had a packed lunch to look forward to!) 

The Scriptures never cease to amaze me!  Even when we only put in the absolute smallest effort to read them, the Lord still shows forth great grace in answering us.  Our tired, human efforts can result in hearing His voice each morning.  And His voice that day said to us "I see you.  I know you. And you just might have more in common with the people in scripture than you might think!"  

I'm humbled by the way the Lord is always making efforts to reach out to us, wherever we are and whatever we're doing.  I want to be more like that...