Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 5:14, 16, 19

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 5:14, 16, 19

And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?

I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?

This chapter is so beautiful. It's long but worth reading over and over. Alma gives up being the chief judge in the land and acts in his calling as High Priest. He goes throughout the land giving this recorded sermon to the people. He is calling them to repentance in such a powerful and loving way. It just makes me weep. 

To the verses I pondered on Alma does also turn and address those that have not the image of God in their countenances. I did not want to focus on that, instead I wanted to pondered on where I felt I stood and where I needed to head.

As I read about imagining that I hear the voice of the Lord speaking to me, I had an image of James E. Talmage come to my mind. I recently watched the DVD "James E. Talmage - The Story Behind Jesus the Christ". It is the backstory to Talmage's amazing book "Jesus the Christ". After writing this book Talmage finally has the opportunity to visit the Holy Land. In a letter to his wife May Booth he remarks "I found the mental picture formed while study for and in writing the book is surprisingly accurate."

I think with these two examples the Lord is telling me to imagine what it would be like to hear his voice. What would he say to me. Am I a good and faithful servant or would he cast me out? As I focus on the words I think he would say to me, the spirit will guide me in what to do. I will come to have his image in my countenance, for to hear his words is to know him. One day the mental picture I have formed will be surprisingly accurate and in reality come true. 

Day 279 Tami Fitzgerald Harris