He Lives!

As I was watching the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I was listening to the words, and something occurred to me.  I wish I could remember the speaker, but they were talking about how we need to choose to humble ourselves, and to accept Christ and make the necessary changes in our lives to be able to return and live with Him.  It reminded me of a story from Numbers regarding the fiery serpents.

The Israelites were making their way to Canaan when they again murmured about the manna.  The Lord sent fiery serpents to chastise the people, and many died.  Moses was commanded to make a serpent of brass and place it on a pole.  He told the people if they would simply look upon the serpent they would live.  Many chose not to look, and died.

The instruction was so simple.  Look to the serpent and live.  It wasn't a vague command, it wasn't ambiguous.  Even if you didn't believe, what harm could come by following the simple direction?  I have often looked at that story and thought, "Why didn't they all just look?"  It would be easy to ridicule (if it weren't an issue of life and death).  That is where we get hooked.

I would compare, as have many, Moses lifting the serpent and commanding to look and live to the Savior being raised on the cross, suffering and paying for our sins so that we don't have to, if we repent.  We are not asked to bear the pain that Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane.  We are not asked to be scourged by the Romans, which often was unto death.  We are not being asked to be crucified, to pay the ultimate penalty.  Are we?  No, we are asked to look to Christ, and follow him. Obey his commandments, repent when we falter, and offer to Him the only thing He asks;  a broken heart, and a contrite spirit.

Today, we have prophets and apostles to give us God's word.  All we have to do is look to them, and they will give us the specific counsel we need in these times, to look and live.  We have to change our hearts, our lives, to follow the Master.  The path is before us, we just have to choose to live.  I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.  I know that he lived, and that he died for us.  He was resurrected on the third day.  He has risen! He lives today.

Look, and Listen, and Live!

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