Kindle Fire

Recently we bought a kindle for my seven-year-old who loves to read, but we got him an old model that doesn’t have access to the internet other than to download books.  He asked my tonight why he couldn’t have a kindle fire so he can play games and do other things on it.  I referred him to 2 Nephi 7:11 and told him that he would be sorrowful if he did receive one: “Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand—ye shall lie down in sorrow.”  I tried to convince him that the ancient prophet was talking about kindle fire tablets and that the verse teaches that we shouldn’t have one, but he didn’t really believe me.

             Of course I don’t really think this verse was a prophecy about electronics in our day from Isaiah, but I do believe that the message at the end of this chapter is very applicable to us today.  The prophet asked this question first, “Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?”   This is a rhetorical question, and the answer, of course, is no one.  You cannot fear the Lord and obey His servants and be totally in darkness without light.  If we trust in the Lord and follow His commandments, He will be a light to us through our mortal journey.  This is what the Lord told Nephi: “And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments” (1 Nephi 17:13).  The Lord will not leave us in darkness if we turn to Him and strive to be obedient.  In that context, the next verse then speaks about those who try to be their own light without the Lord’s help.  Those who “kindle fire” for themselves—who look to their own wisdom and learning instead of turning to the Lord—those who “walk in the light of [their own] fire” instead of following the light of the Lord, will get this condemnation from the Lord: “Ye shall lie down in sorrow.”

             The message of these two verses from Isaiah match I believe President Nelson’s message to the people of Arizona this past week.  He wrote, “If there is anything I’ve learned in my 94 years of living, it is that a life with God is far better — more filled with hope — than one without Him….  Faith in God is, and has always been the preeminent force for good in this world.”  In other words, to fear God and keep His commandments, to walk by the light of His word, will lead to a much better life than to try to be your own light without God.  There is no need for us to try to kindle fire on our own—if we make covenants with Him, the Lord will fill our lives with His fire, even that of the Holy Ghost (Doctrine and Covenants 33:11).