I didn’t think that this part would be so long but seeing
all these wonderful meanings and how much deeper what is written is to what is
read was an eye opening experience. I might even go so far as to say a
revelation.
Now that we have an idea of what the commandments are so as
to not break them, how about we go ahead and get a clearer idea of what keeping
the commandments means for us.
So what are the key words in the verse?
3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must
be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby
they can accomplish
the thing which he has
commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did
sojourn in the wilderness.
Keep
verb
verb
- Have or retain possession of.
- Retain or reserve for future use
- Put or store in a regular place
- Continue or cause to continue in a specified condition, position, course, etc.
- continue doing or do repeatedly
- (of a perishable commodity) remain in good condition
- retain one's place in or on (a seat or saddle, the ground, etc.) in spite of difficulty
- be in a specified state of health
- cause to be late; delay
- make (someone) do something for a period of time
- archaic continue to follow (a path or course)
- Provide for the sustenance of (someone).
- provide (someone) with a regular supply of a commodity
- own and look after (an animal) for pleasure or profit
- own and manage (a shop or business)
- guard;protect
- Honour or fulfil (a commitment or undertaking).
- observe (a religious occasion) in the prescribed manner
- pay due regard to (a law or custom)
- Make written entries in (a diary) on a regular basis.
- write down as (a record)
I was going to only include the one that was the intended
meaning in this verse, but as I kept reading the definitions, I found it
amazing that keep meant so many things that can be related to our relationship
with God.
In this verse, the fourth definition is the one meant, but
it didn’t necessarily need to be. For instance, number 2 has to continue doing,
can’t this be a grammatically correct definition in this context as well?
What about definition number three’s last variant meaning
guard;protect? Do we guard and protect the commandments of God? I would say
yes.
In truth, by knowing all these meanings and the full
definition of this one word, of keep, what this verse is saying got much
deeper, much more important and serious. These are the commandments of God, and
it only now has sunk in how big the magnitude is.
We must reserve the commandments for future use and store
them in a regular place. The regular place being the Bible, our churches,
temples, chapels, and other houses of God, and reserve them in ourselves and
our children.
We must repeatedly do what is written in the commandments.
Follow the path of God. Retain our place in the seat of our faith in spite of
difficulty.
We must provide everyone with access to the commandments and
the teachings and lessons of God.
We must guard and protect God’s commandments.
We must honour and fulfill the commandments and commit to
following them. We must observe them, and pay them due regard.
And we must continue to study them, record them, write them
down, and have them close.
We must keep the commandments and it is so much more than
just doing as you’re told.
And in return, doesn’t God try to keep us as well?
Nourish
verb
verb
- Provide with the food or other substances necessary for growth, health, and good condition;
- Keep (a feeling or belief) in one’s mind, typically for a long time
From Latin nutrire – feed, cherish
Another great multilayered word meaning.
God will nourish those who keep his commandments
We can gather from what Nephi receives from God during his
sojourn to the Promised Land, the first meaning is on point with the context.
Note the other substances that are also provided.
Nourish isn’t just about providing the basic means in which
one can grow physically health, but to also keep in good condition. The
nourishment provided by God is greater than food and water, He also gives us
what we need to grow, and be healthy and in good condition spiritually. By
doing this He also allows for mental and emotional nourishment as well, for in
times of great stress or hardship, who better provides relief than faith in
God?
I speak as a third party though. I know many religious
people who have gotten through much thanks to their faith. I would normally say
in part to their faith but when everything they are and all that happens to
them is God’s will, then attributing it to other things like personal strength,
loving family, and supportive environment, kind of feels like someone trying to
make certain things unrelated to God or not attributable to Him. Seeing as
these people have faith, I won’t do that as it would be undermining the
incredible and all-encompassing affect that faith has in their lives.
 |
| God is provides the balance in life. |
What about that second one? There’s that keep, but again we
see how knowing the meanings of words can deepen our understanding.
Nourish to keep a feeling or belief in one’s mind, typically
for a long time.
Is it just me, or is that telling us that keeping the
commandments will strengthen your belief and faith in God? One of the main
obstacles Nephi experienced in the beginning was his older brothers, and then
eventually in-laws and extended family, lack of continual faith in God.
Many times they were shown God’s love and protect, and also
punished for their sins, and yet they continued to waver, their grip on the
iron rod weak, slipping constantly, and over and over again Nephi had to humble
them and he longed that they would stay the course to God.
What commandments weren’t Laman and Lemuel keeping?
They spoke badly of their father, perhaps they were not
honouring him?
Often they spoke of and planned to kill Nephi or Lehi. Is thinking
about killing someone the same? It may very well be, as it is for adultery.
They wanted to go back to Jerusalem, to their material
possessions. Perhaps this was coveting what others had, what they had given up?
Strengthen
verb
verb
 |
| Each link in the chain is a commandment kept |
- Make or become stronger
- Nourish
- Reinforce, make stronger, buttress, brace, shore up, underpin
- Toughen, temper, anneal
- Intensify, pick up, heighten
- Fortify, bolster, make stronger, boost, harden; increase, fuel; renew, vitalize, give new energy to, hearten
- Step up, escalate, scale up
- Support, back up, confirm, bear out, substantiate, corroborate, authenticate; consolidate
Man, look at all those synonyms and minor definitions.
A few of these refer to engineering or trade jargon, like
buttress and underpin, but they serve as good analogies to the strengthening of
God.
Let’s try and look at the verb meanings, if we can.
Buttress is to increase the strength of or justification
for. He will justify us.
Brace is to make (a structure) stronger or firmer with wood,
iron, or other forms of support. God will brace us with love, purpose, divine
protection, and other forms of holy support.
Temper is to act as a neutralizing or counterbalancing force
to (something). God is the perfection to our imperfection. If that is not close
enough then Jesus Christ, the Lord and Saviour, died so that we could be with
God. He suffered our sins so that we could be forgiven. He gave us the chance
to be redeemed by returning us to neutral in the eyes of God, so that our
choices would determine our worth and that we could be saved from ourselves and
the flesh.
Anneal is to heat (metal or glass) and allow it to cool
slowly, in order to remove internal stresses and toughen it. It baffles me that
if you look for meanings of God, then you will find them. We are baptized by
water and by fire. By the flame of the Holy Spirit will our internal stresses,
our weaknesses and faults, be removed or made into strengths.
He will renew us, vitalise us, substantiate and corroborate
and consolidate us.
Such is what it means to be strengthened by the Lord.
Hope you enjoyed this (late) entry. Will most likely be trying to get in 2 or 3 tomorrow as Sunday is the last day of Nephi 17:3!
Then it's a whole new wallpaper for my phone and desktop and a whole new verse to ponderise, study, and analyse and apply to modern day life!
Ponder, Away!
Sources
Picture One - Keep them together
http://www.stjsumneytown.org/offerings/youth-program/
Picture Two - Called to Serve
http://www.cafepress.com/+missionary+posters
Original Art by CaptainCanada
http://captaincanada.deviantart.com/art/called-to-serve-97412430
Picture Three - Mind, Body, and Soul
http://blog.shareitfitness.com/2013/mind-body-and-soul-workout/
Picture Four - Balance
https://www.waldeneatingdisorders.com/aly-raismans-tips-to-nourish-your-mind-body-spirit/
Picture Five - Strengthen
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/strengthen-your-grip
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