Thou Didst Hear Me

In Utah there are billboards for a certain car dealership which advertise how no matter what the circumstance, they “hear” their customers. They often have different images in which it would be difficult to hear but then emphasize how they would hear even then. I thought about this as I read the words of Zenos quoted by Alma to the Zoramites. He said this: “Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness;… when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me. And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer. And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me. Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them. Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations. Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my cries… And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity” (Alma 33:4-11). Nine times there we have repeated that the Lord hears us in our prayers. Like that car dealership advertises, no matter where we are or how loud the world is around us, the Lord can and does hear our cries and petitions. Whether we are in the wilderness or in our closets, whether we are in the midst of congregations or alone in our afflictions, He will hear our prayers.

               He doesn’t just hear, though; He is also merciful. Looking again at those same verses, Zenos also emphasized the mercy that the Lord shows to us as He hears our prayers: “Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed…. Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my field…. Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee…. Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me…. It is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me.” The witness of Zenos was that the Lord will hear our prayers first and then He will show mercy through His Son. That mercy may not always come exactly how we want our prayers answered, but if we are faithful He will hear us and help us. We see this in the effect of the heartfelt prayer that Alma gave as they embarked in teaching this people. After pleading with the Lord for help, he concluded with these words, “Wilt thou grant unto them that they may have strength, that they may bear their afflictions which shall come upon them because of the iniquities of this people. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ. Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.” Mormon then summarized what happened to this group of missionaries: “And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not, neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith” (Alma 31:33-35, 38). It is I believe instructive what the Lord did and didn’t do as a result of Alma’s prayer. He did not take away the afflictions, but He did give them strength and helped them find joy in Christ even amidst their afflictions. One example of this was what happened to Shiblon among the Zoramites as Alma later summarized to his son: “For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that thou wast stoned for the word’s sake; and thou didst bear all these things with patience because the Lord was with thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee” (Alma 38:4). Shiblon was not spared tribulation, but the Lord did deliver him when he was in bonds and stoned—the Lord showed mercy and indeed heard Alma’s prayer to bless their efforts. We can trust that the Lord will likewise hear our earnest petitions and show mercy to us in His chosen way during the many challenges we face. No matter what our struggles are, as we plead earnestly with Him we can find strength and joy in Christ.