There it is … nestled between two dramatic life events … a short verse of scripture that encapsulates so much and sets a standard for all of us.
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“And it came to pass that he [Lehi] was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.” – 1 Nephi 2:3
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That single verse written by Nephi about his father is not a description of an event. It’s a description of Lehi’s character.
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In the verse prior, the Lord commands Lehi in a dream that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.
In the verse after, Lehi obeys and leaves everything he owns, taking nothing except his family into the wilderness.
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Can you imagine what must have really taken place between those two events?
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How many tears did Sariah shed? How long did it take to convince her to leave?
How many arguments did Laman and Lemuel put up about leaving?
How many prayers did Nephi offer?
How many last-minute preparations were made?
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How do you capture all that challenge, heartache, trial, and wrestling about a man and his family responding to a commandment from God in a single verse?
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Nephi didn’t reverse the order saying, “And it came to pass that he [did as the Lord commanded him], wherefore he [was obedient unto the word of the Lord].”
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No … it’s as if Nephi is saying … “The Lord commanded my father to leave … and something you should know about my father is that he was always obedient to the word of the Lord … so we did what my father always did. We did what the Lord asked … We left.”
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What an example Lehi set.
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Could someone write the same about us? …
“And it came to pass that [he/she] was obedient unto the word of the Lord,
wherefore [he/she] …
[accepted the calling from the bishopric]
[went to youth activities]
[paid tithing]
[attended the temple]
[studied the scriptures]
[lived a chaste life]
[attended church every Sunday]
[shared the gospel]
[confessed his sins]
[held family home evening]
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Thank you Father Lehi for your righteous example of unyielding obedience.