“And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.” (2 Nephi 28:21)
We took our toddler to the beach last week. He is a boy who LOVES the water, but this was no 90 degree swimming pool like he is used to for swimming lessons. The water was cold and there were waves. But my strong willed little boy would not be deterred. He wanted in that water! I held his hand and we walked in the sand where the waves lapped around our ankles. Sets of waves rolled in and out and he would run further and further out to meet them. Most of the time the water was just at his feet, but as he followed the pull of the under tow he would get out further and further. Then with little notice, a bigger wave would crash in and rush toward us and suddenly the cold water would be at his chest. The water was cold and the current strong. Where he had been fighting to shake off my hand when the water was shallow, he clung to me as he tried to keep his feet and catch his breath from the shock of the cold. Of course it didn’t phase him one bit and he laughed and continued to frolic in the frigid water until I literally carried him off kicking and screaming because he couldn’t stop shivering.
I couldn’t help but think of this scripture as I watched my baby and tried to keep him safe, while still letting him have fun and experience the wonderful joy of the ocean and the water that he loves. How often do we think we can handle it alone? We cheerfully skip our way deeper and deeper, skirting the edge of danger and trying to shake our hands from the grip of the “rules.” We are sure they are just there to spoil the fun, or keep us in line, or control us. Maybe we see the guidelines and commandments as antiquated or we don’t agree with how they came about. We tell ourselves we are just fine, we become comfortable where we are. But eventually that big wave will come crashing in. Will it knock us off our feet? Will we have something to hold onto to keep our head above the water? Or will we be so far away from the shore, having shaken off the “chains” that we felt so constrained by and be swallowed up in the frigid depths of the winter sea? We must cling to His hand and allow Him to guide us so that we can enjoy the wonderful things this life has to offer, without being swallowed up by it. Without being carefully led away by the wiles of Satan who seeks our destruction and misery.
Meditation and Journaling Prompt: Can you see a place in your life where Satan has you feeling comfortable, but might be leading you into dangerous waters?
