And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ......2 Nephi 25:26

I read about how the people who crossed the ocean to America hymbled themselves before the Lord so that He was with them. When the armies from their mother country fought against them, God deliered them. Again Nephi prophesied of these things (the Revolutionary War) hundreds of years before they occurred. 1 Ne. 13: 16-19 "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them. And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them. And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle. And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations."

In the New Testament I read about the sinful woman who annointed Christ's feet and who was forgiven by Him. When Jesus was criticized for allowing such a sinful woman to touch Him, He pointed out that someone who has much to be forgiven for loves much. No matter how bad our sins, if we humbly come before the Lord, we can be forgiven. Luke 7:37-50 "And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us to bear one another's burdens. Does God send people into our lives so that we can help and serve them, or bring healing into hurting lives? The thought that went with this, written by Charles P. Axe from Hermitage, Pennsylvania says: A woman named Lilly, whom I did not know, linked my name at the end of a devotion I had written with her husban's school ports reminiscings. her husband was my former teammate, Rick. As a result, they contacted me. Today, after five years and much correspondence I am still in awe as to how God helped us to connect. Because He did, I've been blessed, my burden of being alone in prison has been lightened. While the WHO might be unforeseen and the WHY not initially clear, the apostle Paul is specific as to what we are to do as occasion and opportunity open up to us--"do good". Obeying his words can help someone like me through a difficult time. And it can bless you, too, as a recent letter from Rick and Lily blessed me: "Our lives are better for having known you." Galatians 6:2 "Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."


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