Having a Just God on your Side - Alma 57:26,27

I am now reading the war chapters in Alma. It is 63 BC, still in the era of faith and righteousness among the Nephites. The stripling warriors are miraculously protected a second time where none of them are killed. (Alma 57:25) For the miracle to occur, the Lord orchestrated events so that the army guarding the Lamanite prisoners of war were able to return in the knick of time. The Nephites had lost there prisoners but the Lord answered the faith of believers. In verse 26 and 27 we read,

"And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power. Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust in God continually."

One of the clearest messages in the Book of Mormon is that God fulfills is promises to people that firmly put their trust in Him. He is a just God. He wants us not to doubt but to be believing. I find that this level of steadiness is not an easy thing to maintain! Why do I end up slipping back into a state of unbelief? For me, it has something to do with my natural instincts. The seen world says something different than the unseen world. Maybe I just don't believe that believing, trusting and relying are so powerful. It's too simple! Like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness, I don't understand the meaning of things. Moses put a serpent on a stick and all who looked at the serpent were healed. Alma 30:20 says,

"But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them. If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God... "

So, the key is to stay focused on Christ. Believe that believing in the Son of God will bring to pass miraculous results. Even if the all the Lamanite prisoners are lost, God will fulfill his promises unto those that believe firmly and steadfast in the Son of God.

You will never know what would have happened if you but had some faith!