Second Nephi 4:33 (part 2)

O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.

Why would Nephi be concerned about God putting a stumbling block in his path? Does God ever put stumbling blocks in our way when we want to repent and increase in righteousness? Perhaps he doesn't create the stumbling blocks, but he certainly permits them. It often seems like just when we are trying our best, things go the worst for us. That is God taking our good intentions and stretching them.

Second Nephi 4:33

O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.

For the Lord to encircle us in his robe, we must be next to him in his presence. His robe of righteousness is the authority and power of the priesthood. Nephi wants to be drawn into the bosom of God and surrounded and immersed in his influence. He wants to shun the world and put off the natural man so that he can become one with God. We could have no loftier ambition.

Second Nephi 4:31

O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?

Nephi has no more disposition to do evil but to do good continually. I feel the great love he has for God and his Redeemer. He desires with all his heart to be faithful, noble, and loyal. In this moment his heart is right before the Lord. Nevertheless, despite his best intentions, Nephi is not done with sin. None of us are so long as we remain in the flesh. But for a moment at least, he had put his enemy, the natural man, behind him. We can all live for such moments.

Second Nephi 4:28

Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

Do not be depressed and discouraged because of sin. For those who seek after righteousness, temptation is the enemy. We lose many battles and carry many scars, but we cannot give up. Christ will lift us up. He will fight our battles with us, and he will heal all our wounds and remove all our scars. Be of good cheer, the Savior commanded, for he has overcome the world for our sakes.

Second Nephi 4:26

O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

Nephi asks searching, searing, introspective questions. In essence, he says his spirit is willing but his flesh is weak. Why do we give in and then get discouraged? Because it is our fallen mortal nature. Why do I fail every day? Because somewhere along the line every day I forget to lean on the Lord, and I try to operate on my own. The thing is, God wants us to learn self reliance and to be agents. But in this life we cannot walk many steps without his strong and steady hand. Like Peter, we may have the faith to get out of the boat, but when the storm rages and the waves are high, we get distracted. We catch ourselves sinking, and if we are wise, we call out to the Lord to save us. And every day he does save us.

Second Nephi 4:24

And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.

Nephi first prayed, and then angels ministered to him. What kind of a mighty prayer brings down angels? How did Nephi learn how to pray this way? He himself gives us the answer at the end of his writings. Nephi taught: "For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do" (2 Nephi 32:5).

Second Nephi 4:23

Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.

Nephi wanted more than anything else in life to know God and learn from him. The price for admission to God's presence and trust is absolute faith, unwavering devotion, and diligent seeking.  If we let anything else come between us and our quest to know God, we will fail the test and fall short.