This week, In Pathway...

This week in my pathway religion class we are reading in 2^nd Nephi chapters 9-16.  The beginning of the Isaiah chapters.  (Insert overwhelmed, deer in the headlights look here.)  I love reading the scriptures, even reading Isaiah.  I feel like I am reading poetry.  Or Shakespeare.  As in I love how it sounds and I love to say it out loud, but in reality I am comprehending about 4.26% of what is being said.  I am happy to report that after utilizing this week’s study skill, symbolism, I was able to bump that number up a bit.  The key for me was understanding that I can’t rush though these chapters.  I had to slow it down.  Like, WAY down.  Looking up words, using those tiny letters by words to find other scriptures to help me understand what was being said, or to understand the context it was being used in.  Thinking after reading a verse, “What is he trying to say.  What can I liken this to in my own life”.  That helped a lot.  I felt like if I understood where he was coming from, and the situation he was in it, it would help me understand what he was talking about.  

My biggest takeaway this week was in the beginning of 2^nd Nephi 9:9.  

And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness 2 Nephi 9:9

In this particular passage Jacob is talking about the resurrection and how men will be judged according to their works.  I loved this scripture because I felt like it gave a great insight into the emotional state of Lucifer.  “to be shut from the presence of our God, and remain with the father of lies, IN MISERY, LIKE UNTO HIMSELF”.  Referring to Lucifer as the ‘father of lies’ is so fitting, because he tries, often succeeds in making sin look fun, desirable, and like it won’t hurt us at all.  But in reality, if we make that choice, and continue down a path of sin and unrighteousness, we will be miserable.  We will not know happiness, peace, love, comfort, forgiveness, and confidence through Satan.  This comes from seeking out a relationship with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  I feel like in my own life, I have that friend who’s world is always falling apart.  It isn’t really, but she thinks her life is so much more miserable than anyone else’s, and will make it her job to let everyone know how miserable she is, thus making my time spend with her miserable.   This is Satan.  He is in a place that knows no happiness.  And Misery loves company.  Just like a friend who gossips and complains, leaving you feeling uncomfortable and emotionally drained, Satan wants me to feel like I am not good enough, or not deserving, or not strong enough to keep the commandments of God.  This is his lie.  Only through keeping the commandments will we be truly happy.  I love getting insights into Satan, because I feel like the more I know my enemy, the better I will be at defending myself and my family against him.  So thank you Jacob and Isaiah,
for that lovely peek into Satan’s existence.