Thursday, July 29, 2010

Moroni 7:29-31

And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men. For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness. And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.

Much of the rest of Christianity understands angels to be some distinct class of beings, and has invested them with wings, originally symbolic of their speed in doing the work of the Lord. In fact, the gospel teaches us that angels are people like us, and that the angels that minister in this world have lived or will live on this earth as humans. I mention this to emphasize the fact that God does not work by magic, but his miracles and servants abide by eternal law which seems magic to us because we do not always understand the laws on which their behavior is based.

We should not expect to see a cessation of miracles in our lives, and it is appropriate in some circumstances to pray for miracles, whether it be healings, intervention on behalf of one who is wandering in sin, or other matters of import. God's concern extends to each of us, but His ability to help us depends upon our faith and our faithfulness. God does not expect us to be perfect, but He does expect us to be constant in seeking His help and His grace to aid us on our way.

Although miracles are given to bless the believers, we should not expect miraculous intervention in every matter about which we pray. If every prayer were miraculously answered it would actually prove to be a hindrance to the exercise of agency. And so we pray in faith, asking for the miracle, but we also work in faith to do as much as we can to provide the desired outcome.

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