Alma 30

(October 7, 2014)

                If we are honest, we will all recognize points in our lives where we were – to coin a phrase – Satan’s chew toys.  Where he pushed us from wickedness to wickedness, and where we fell so far short of the Lord’s expectations of us (and our expectations for ourselves), that we felt there was no hope for redemption.

                The interesting thing in this chapter is that it included three such people.  The first, and most obvious, is Korihor – he was driven to and fro by Satan, actively working to destroy the Church of God.  But, in addition to him, Ammon and Alma were also in that same position at one point in their lives.

                Satan attempts to destroy us through wickedness, and when we are ready to repent he attempts to destroy us through hopelessness.  He gets us doing things we should not, and when we are ready to turn our lives over to the Lord he whispers that we have gone to far and cannot be redeemed.  Korihor, obviously, believed that.  Alma and Ammon, on the other hand, knew better – they knew just how powerful and potent the reach of the Atonement was.

                There will be times in our lives when we fall short of what is expected of us.  In those dark times, and when the flicker of light is first seen, may we each repent as Ammon and Alma (rather than acquiesce, like Korihor).  May we each know that regardless of how far we have fallen, the Lord stands ready to help us back up if we will just turn to Him completely.