28 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni proceeded on their journey towards the land of Middoni. And Lamoni found favor in the eyes of the king of the land; therefore the brethren of Ammon were brought forth out of prison.
God’s tender mercies, and a miracle. Surely in God’s miraculous economy, he saved multiple birds with one feeding! I don’t like to refer to God as killing two birds with one stone, for that is not the nature of God. 😇
The Lord perhaps delayed freeing Ammon’s brethren because he needed to free others from a much worse prison! The prison of ignorance. The prison of unrepented sin. The prison of misery and hopelessness. The prison of spiritual death.
Did Ammon’s brethren know that while they languished and suffered in prison God was using Ammon to free others from their worse prison and bringing them unto Christ? He may have comforted them, but I doubt the Lord gave very much detail about what was going on, for that is the test of faith. That is the test of trust.
Our faith and trust in God grows, not from God giving us every detail and outlining every single step in our lives, but by trusting him enough to take the next step into the dark. And that being as it is, perhaps, because as toddlers compared to Him, walking around in this amnesia called the veil of forgetfulness, most of the time we simply cannot yet comprehend the complexities of God and his marvelous works.
Why would we need to trust in God if we knew everything? if we knew everything, we would not need Him, or at least think so, even though we rely on him for every breath, and even though he sustains us from one moment to the other. Is this why Satan uses pride so effectively? To deceive us into thinking we know as much or more than God, and thus destroying faith? Faith in the only one who can save us from the consequences of our earthly ignorant state?
So, is the reason we must have faith and trust in God the same reason we tell our children to have faith and trust in us? Simply because they cannot yet comprehend things as they really are, the things that we comprehend only by our experience? The scriptures seem to bear this out:
9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?
If we comprehended all things, there would be no need for trust or faith. We would then have knowledge, and our faith would become dormant, as Alma taught.
33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.
34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.
Does that knowledge that surpasses faith happen in this life? I can only think of one example, and that is the brother of Jared. His faith was so strong and complete that he actually could not be kept within the veil, and saw the finger of Christ when he touched the stones. It was then that the Savior asked if he had seen more, and we then read what to me are the most profound and exalting words in all of Holy Scripture:
13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.
As far as I can tell, that is our ultimate goal. To develop faith sufficient to be redeemed from the fall (being separated from God), and to be brought back into the presence of God. Oh glorious day! To stand before the Lord, and to be clean! To be embraced in those loving arms, and drawn into his loving breast, no more to go out! No more to be separated! No more to be soiled with the sins that separate us. To have been true and faithful in all things, and be admitted into the presence of the Lord.
Oh how I pray, through the Atonement and the merits of Him who is mighty to save, that I might be so blessed some day.
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