We all know of the notorious chapter in Nephi where the Lord instructs Nephi to build a ship. No Nephi was not a ship builder, he had never built a ship and I doubt he had even taken a ride in one. But I love Nephi's response to the Lord. He did not say "I can't build one I don't know how" or even "how do I construct a ship" but rather his response was "Where can I find the material needed to build tools?"
How willing was Nephi? He was given a task that was heavy even for someone who knows how to build a ship but Nephi knew God would help Him. He knew that he was not alone and that the Lord would help him along the way. After all, is any task to big for our Father in Heaven?
In 1 Nephi 17:51 Nephi says, "If the Lord has such great power.... how can He not instruct me?"
Sometimes I wonder if I overlook what Nephi is trying to say. I praise the Lord on His power and His knowledge. I have faith that He is molding me into what He wants me to become. I trust that He knows me better than I know myself and that because of that He knows exactly what I need. HE IS ALL!! He is alpha and omega! He created all things.... this bed I am sitting on, the food I just ate, the computer I am using to speak to you, the scriptures I read every night, the skin on my body, the love in my heart, the thoughts in my mind, the blood pumping in my veins, and the soul that flows through me. He created me.... and just as He created me, He created you. How could He not know the very thing He spent so much time to create?
If I know that the Lord has all this power, how then, can He not instruct me?
The Lord knows us. He knows our desires and our fears, our hopes and our failures, our joy and our pain. He knows our struggles and our tears. The only thing that holds back his instruction is YOU.
Today in Gospel Doctrines the teacher explained that when our minds have a question it truly seeks an answer for it, it is as if a Velcro strip has been implanted in the back of our mind. We can be taught and taught and taught but until that Velcro strip is there we will not retain any of the knowledge.
God knows the answers... but sometimes we must ask the questions. Sometimes we must want something to cling to our Velcro so badly that we must truly desire Him to teach us. Sure He has the knowledge, He has the answer, but until we want to know of it He can't share it. He won't share until we ask.
Why then is it so hard to ask? We know He has the answers. We know He has the power... so why then is it so hard for me to just get down on my knees and ask. Perhaps if we would go to Him first with our questions... this life would be a whole lot easier.
Someone once said, "That which I HAVE I can easily give you, but that which I AM you must obtain yourself." We will never know of something until it has bombarded our hearts. We will never truly learn something until it has been constantly running through our brain. As much as I want the lessons others have learned they won't become apart of me until I have obtained it myself.
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