Yesterday I was filled with a desire to receive a vision of what the Lord had in store for my family in line with the vision that keep received for his family. (It doesn’t need to be a vision in the literal sense but an inspired knowledge regarding the Lord’s plan for this individual family.) Today I realized that the vision Lehi had didn’t come out of nowhere. He received his vision in the valley next to the river he called Laman where he had fled with his family after the Lord told him to leave Jerusalem. He was told to flee Jerusalem after the Lord had given him knowledge which he had diligently shared with the people in Jerusalem despite it not being popular. He had also been in the valley long enough to have sent his sons back to return the brass plates and to have sent them back a second time to persuade the family of Ishmael to come with them into the wilderness.
So before he received the vision regarding what lay ahead for his family:
- Lehi had a vision and began preaching repentance to the people of Jerusalem.
- Lehi was instructed to take his family away from Jerusalem so he left and dwelt in a tent.
- Lehi was instructed to send his sons to retrieve the brass plates and he studied the plates after they had been obtained.
- Lehi was instructed to send his sons back for the family of Ishmael.
So it’s clear that before he received the vision I am looking for he had established a pattern of being obedient when receiving instructions. He had also been able to observe how his family responded to those same invitations to act whether they were being asked 1) to act at all, 2) to act with him, or 3) to act without him.
I don’t know whether Lehi was asking for such a vision as I am seeking to but whether or not he was isn’t important in my request. What is important is recognizing that he didn’t receive without first demonstrating his commitment to follow the Lord.
Leave a Reply