In Ezekial 16 (I accidentally read the wrong chapter) the Lord is relating to Jerusalem all that he has done for her and then he tells her everything she has done to offend him through all the sins she has committed. In some ways the Old Testament seems harsh to me but He was dealing with a people that had been influenced by surrounding nations and had taken up some very evil practices. Then the Lord states, "I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant. Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed..." (vs. 59-61). Ezekial 18 calls the Lord's people to repentance, "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye" (vs. 21, 23, 31-32). The Lord with great diligence and love looks to his people. He knows their hearts, thoughts, deeds, and words. He gives us experience so that we can be humble and reach for him.
This is evident in the experiences that Lehi's family was having in the wilderness. His sons joyfully married the daughters of Ishmael. They received directions from the Lord about where to travel in the wilderness. The suffered of hunger when the men could not provide food for their families. And, they wanted to return to Jerusalem when Ishmael died. This is how life gives us experience; some is joyful and some is experienced with great hardship and sorrow. When they struggled each experienced different ways of dealing with their stress. Every time something went wrong Lamen and Lemuel and others would murmur, even Lehi murmured against the Lord when everyone was hungry. It would be a great burden for a man to not be able to provide adequately for his family. Some of them even became angry to the point of wanting to cause injury to another human being. (I have been angry and somewhat complaining to the Lord today. I have felt inadequate today and that is frustrating. I am trying to get my emotions in control and do what I can to eliminate or accomplish some of the things that weigh me down). Nephi tried to solve his problems too by making a new bow and arrows and asking his father to tell him where to go to find food. His trust in the Lord never wavered. At times I can probably find myself handling different situations each of these ways. I only hope over time I will find myself with more confidence and diligence because of my faith in Jesus Christ who is there even when I cannot feel him.
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