Today’s reading: Alma 34: 1-15
9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.
Even though this block of scripture is short it is extremely powerful- and contains a great explanation of the Atonement. When I read it I felt the immense love that my Savior has for me. I hope everyone reading it today feels that, too.
It is important to know that the Atonement is infinite and eternal and that we can be forgiven always. I take so much comfort in that. I know I am not perfect- and I struggle every day with different things- but I am grateful for the atonement. Even when I make mistakes I can repent and use the Atonement to repent and try harder. Isn’t that an amazing blessing? When I think about the love my Savior must have for me, it helps me want to do better! I know He is on my side. So often Satan makes us feel as if we are alone and there is no hope in sight. Because of the Atonement, we know that is not true. But we do need to do our part. We need to rely on our Savior.
Verse 15 teaches us that we need to “turn to Him, repent and have faith”. The Atonement is a gift given to us and we need to use it daily. Even if our mortal minds cannot fully grasp the concept, or if we have questions or doubts- we can work hard every day to gain better faith and knowledge as we read our scriptures, attend the temple and pray faithfully.
Elder Richard C. Edgley gave the beautiful talk “For Thy Good” where he talks about having faith in the Plan and in the gift of the Atonement. He said:
Therefore, perhaps the challenge is to have the kind of faith during the hard times that we exercised when we first chose. The kind of faith that turns questioning and even anger into acknowledging the power, blessings, and hope that can come only from Him who is the source of all power, blessings, and hope. The kind of faith that brings the knowledge and assurances that all that we experience is part of the gospel plan and that for the righteous, all that appears wrong will eventually be made right. The peace and understanding to endure with dignity and clarity of purpose can be the sweet reward. This kind of faith can help us to see the good, even when life’s path seems to be layered only with thorns, thistles, and craggy rocks.
I know that Christ’s Atonement was for each and every one of us– that He suffered and died for me personally and for every single person to live on this earth! He loves us. He knows us each by name. He knows our struggles and pains. He knows our weaknesses and our strengths. He knew we would each have trials in this life.
Elder Edgley goes on to say:
“Out of pain and suffering He would bring peace. Out of hopelessness He would bring hope. Out of transgression He would bring repentance and forgiveness. Out of death He would bring the resurrection of lives.”
I am grateful every day to have this knowledge. Life is not easy, but I take heart in the promise that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ I can be made clean again. I know that the Saviour of the world loves each and every one of us. If you take anything from today’s reading I hope it is that your Savior loves you individually–that you know He is on your side. Believing that He knows me and loves me has gotten me through many hard days and I hope it does the same for each of you.
Here is a time where I was able to find forgiveness through the Atonement.
I was born and raised in Littleton, Colorado but now call Bountiful, Utah home. I am blessed to have a wonderful husband (we met on a blind date!) and two beautiful daughters. I get to be a stay-at-home mom which I love. I’m also a Netflix binge watcher and an avid reader. I love shopping at Target, dark chocolate and spending time with our friends and family. Surviving the Columbine High School shooting as a teenager , battling infertility as an adult and knowing I am a daughter of God has helped me to look for the good in the world and focus on the tender mercies in my life. My passion is writing and sharing my heart and soul with others.