He Doth Nourish Them

One of the themes that we see in Nephi’s writings is the importance of our own efforts as we try to seek help from the Lord.  After the angel came and told him and his brothers that “the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands,” Nephi still didn’t just sit around outside the city walls waiting for Laban to be delivered (1 Nephi 3:29).  Instead he said to his brothers, “Let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses” and he went by himself into the city, allowing the Lord to fulfill the promise of the angel (1 Nephi 4:2).  When he wrote of their difficult journey across the wilderness he said, “If it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them.” (1 Nephi 17:3).  They had seen first-hand that as they tried to do their part by following the Liahona that keeping the commandments—a small act of loyalty on our part—leads to great blessings and guidance from the Lord.  Later when Nephi took the righteous with him away from Laman and Lemuel and started their own society, he wrote, “And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses.  And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly” (2 Nephi 5:10-11).  Again we see this theme that diligence in seeking to do their part led to great blessings from the Lord.  I think he summed up this idea towards the end of his ministry when he wrote, “For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23).  There is something for us to do when we want to receive blessings and help from the Lord.  We can’t expect the Lord to help us if we won’t help ourselves.