Today’s Reading: 1 Nephi 14:1-15
14 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.”
Two phrases caught my eye while reading verse fourteen: “upon the covenant people of the Lord” and “armed with righteousness.” I don’t know about you, but I would LOVE a constant, protective armor of righteousness around me at all times. There is a way for us to ensure that this armor finds us and stays intact through times of trouble. That way is provided to us through the covenants we make with the Lord in the holy temple. When you make covenants with God, you become part of the covenant people He is talking about. This gives you the opportunity to have an increased amount of armor to protect you from the destructive powers of the adversary. Yes, please. Sign me up for that.
In the temple we make our most sacred and important covenants with our Father in Heaven. Each time we go back, we add pieces to our armor and those pieces are then forged together and strengthened through the power of the Lamb of God. The temple covenants offer us a divine protection when we choose to be obedient and keep the promises we have made with our Father in Heaven. My spirit longs for that divine protection and that is why it craves to be in the temple.
In the October 2014 General Conference, Sister Jean A. Stevens talked about the power that comes to us when we attend the temple.
“For as we go to His holy house, we can be armed with His power, His name upon us, His glory round about us, and His angels have charge over us.”
I leave you with a challenge.
If you have a temple recommend, I encourage you to use it and use it often. Use it even- and especially- if it is a sacrifice for you. It is in those moments of sacrifice that I have found my greatest blessings.
If you don’t hold a current recommend, I encourage you to take the necessary steps to obtain one. Your armor is waiting.
If you don’t live close to a temple or other circumstances such as health issues prevent you from attending the temple, take heart. Live worthy to attend and keep your recommend current. God will most definitely bless you for your righteous desires and efforts. He knows your heart and your circumstances and He will help you strengthen your armor.
I grew up the oldest of 5 children in the blazing heat of Southern Utah. After high school and some college experience I met and married Mark Ogden and we are the parents of four children. I have owned and operated my own home-based preschool for more than a dozen years, and I consider myself an accidental author as well. When I am not in my minivan transporting children from one activity to the next, I enjoy playing the piano, blogging, speaking about my life’s experiences, and feeding my insatiable crafting disease.