Consuming of the flesh

I remember when I was little and we went camping. I was always fascinated by the fire. I loved the way it lit up a dark mountain side, the way the flames seemed to dance around each other and the way that it could destroy pieces of papers and smaller sticks in moments! The whole fire seemed to consume the material and it disappeared as if it had never existed. I have continued to be fascinated by fire and the ability to destroy.
In one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon it talks about a similar power that destroys for the good. It is the love of God. Nephi is proclaiming how weak and sinful he is. He is agonizing of the sins he has commited and the guilt he is feeling. Then he switches and testifies of the power of God. We read in 2 Nephi chapter 4: 21 "He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh." The love of God is similar to the fire. It consumes the sins of the flesh. It consumes our weaknesses that come from mortality. It consumes the very natural man and woman inside each of us and allows us to be free! The love of God allows us to move forward, onward and upward to a better and more cleansed life. I am so grateful for this truth! I am grateful that because my Father in Heaven loves me He will allow me to more forward and away from my sins, as if they never existed.
Later this week I was yet again reading in the Book of Mormon and found this golden nugget!

"O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever." (Jacob 3:2)

Throught the study of our scriptures we are feasing on the love of God. That very love that will sanctify and cleanse us from all transgressions! What a promise! Not only do we now know who what, but we know how! Let us feast on His words and His love! Then will the love of God consume our very flesh!

I couldn't post a picture because it would have made me cry....

Once upon a time on a dark and dreary country road drove my companion and I. We carefully came around a turn watching for cars. My companion turned on the brights in order to see and flashed an image in my eye that I can't seem to get rid of. There on the road was a curled up object. The head of that object lifted as we came close. It looked at us with those beady snake eyes and I went into a full blown panic attack!! I could not breathe, my eyes were weeping in fear, and the laughter that escaped my mouth was nothing short of hysterical. My companion sat in silence as I went through the panic process and finally timidly asked if I was okay. "THAT WAS A SNAKE!!" erupted from my mouth and the process began all over again. The fear I felt in that moment is not one I would like to repeat. I was completely incapable of acting in a normal dignified way. I was a wreck!! I am not sure why the sight of that snake affected me in such a way but it created a memory I am sure my companion will not soon forget.
Often times in this life we face fears that create stumbling blocks. We feel we can not continue forward and the physical action is unbearable. Some of those fears are losing a loved one, getting out of our comfort zone, change, dealing with sickness or depression, or even the simple steps of repentance. These are all normal fears that occur almost everyday. I wish there would have been an animal control worker to whisk that snake away, but that was a fear I have to face alone. On the other hand we have someone who will always help us overcome our emotional and spiritual fears. That is, of course, our Savior Jesus Christ. We can always rely on His help and comfort as we overcome and defeat our fears. As 1 John 4:8 says, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear." The perfect love of Jesus Christ can and will cast away all fear if we let Him in. I love my Savior and I am so grateful for the fears He helps me to overcome!