An Investment.

JST Ps. 30:9 “When I go down to the pit, my blood shall return to the dust. I will praise thee; my soul shall declare thy truth; for what profit am I, if I do it not?”


What profit am I?
I read this passage and it sunk deep. What profit am I to the Lord? I thought more about what a profit is to someone and thought of someone investing in a company. Then I realized, we’ve all been invested in. The Atonement. It’s up to us to use that investment and then turn it into a profit for the Lord’s kingdom. It waits for us to be applied, to help us progress and grow. But how often do we see ourselves as less than our potential? Comfortable and content. Not willing to be more? It’s far easier to accept who we are, and not who we can be.

But the Lord has told us who we can be and our potential.
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:16)

And he invites us constantly to reach that potential.
“Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.” (3 Nephi 12:48)
“Therefore, follow me, and listen to the counsel which I shall give unto you.” (Doc and Cov 100:2)

Bruce C Haven said “The atonement is not simply a doctrine to erase black marks, but is a fundamental principle of development.”
I once understood the atonement in this light. A great power that can clear us of our sins and stains that they leave behind. But I now see it to be so much more. It’s the principle that we can become more than we once were. It’s the truth behind progression, both in this life and the next to come. It’s only through the atonement that we are able to overcome the natural man.
“For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becomenth as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” (mosiah 3:19)

Now I have many natural tendencies that keep me from being like the Savior. Some days they are more prominent than others. But I have at times been blessed to see the atonement implemented in my life so that I can not react ‘naturally’ in situations but react as my savior would. I promise you that this is possible. That through the power of the Holy Ghost we can be influenced and guided to alter our natural tendencies so that we are in harmony with the will of the Lord.

This of course might or  most likely will take time. “For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, we have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have.” (2 Nephi 28:30)

Let us take the time to get to know the Father and the Son. For how can we be like them if we do not know them.
“Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessing require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayers is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.” (Bible Dictionary, Prayer)

I have confidence in the Father and that this doctrine of prayer. I’ve seen the power of prayer to align my will with the Fathers. To bring our goals in line. I marvel at who I’ve become and rejoice in the possibilities ahead. Let us all take advantage of the investment already placed in us. The atonement. It is readily available to us all. Waiting to help us progress, grow and become something we were not the day before. To one day be able to reach our highest potential, exaltation in our Fathers Kingdom.
 
"For what profit am I if I do it not?"