Running Between the Lanes

At our track in high school we had eight lanes that looked a lot like this. I actually never ran in a race which required me to stay in one lane for the entire run. I was more of a long distance guy. We just run wherever. Anyway, I wanted to expound on this principle of staying in our lane.

Our Heavenly Father has outlined a plan for us. We call it the Plan of Salvation. In order to win the prize we must play by the rules. This includes diligently following the commandments, which I would compare to staying in your lane. However, unlike a track meet, if you somehow do get out of your lane you are allowed to make a lane change back to where you need to be. We call this repentance.

Practice Prepares us for Success

Deuternomy 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

Before the regular football season starts, in high school anyway, the team will go through extensive practicing and a lot of hard work. You might even call it a refiner's fire. Perhaps, one of the most significant reasons the coach will put his players through this is to weed out the ones who are too weak, or who simply do not want to work hard.

The Lord is our coach, so to speak. He wants us to enjoy the blessing of playing in the homecoming game and enjoy a successful season in the promised land. But He must test and try us before we can come up out of the wildnerness. If we will prove to Him that we will keep His commandments then we will reap the reward.

9. Don't be jealous of anything or anyone

The 10th commandment given to Moses says, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s."1 Gratitude is the quick cure for jealousy. If we can remember everything that we have been blessed with we will be slow to covet other people's things. President Thomas S. Monson has said, "Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings."2

See what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes about gratitude.

Power Save Mode: On

This is a picture of my running watch. It's got some pretty fancy features. It can hold up to 50 lap times and will show me the averages and all that. Kinda neat. A new feature that I just recently discovered is the 'Power Save Mode.' Don't laugh, it's pretty cool. After a certain period of time the screen turns off and helps to save the battery. You never know when that battery is gonna die.

Each of us has a 'battery' so to speak. Our lives here on earth are bound to end some time. We just don't know when exactly. Heavenly Father has given us commandments to help us turn on the 'Power Save Mode.' These specific commandments are called the Word of Wisdom1 and were revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith. In the Word of Wisdom we are advised not to partake of harmful substances such as alohol, tobacco, tea, and coffee. We are encouraged to eat fruits, vegetables, and grain. If we do so we will receive physical strength and also knowledge.

Although we do not know the reasons for all of God's commandments, we do know that He loves us and wants what is best for us. I know that the Word of Wisdom is revelation from God to help us today.


See Doctrine and Covenants Sectoin 89