Receiving Covenant Blessings Now

Now is part of eternity. It doesn’t only begin after we die!

In President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s parable “A Summer with Aunt Rose,” he taught that forever is composed of nows. We should live each day as if it was eternity, because it is.

I feel like I’ve always known that was true, but somehow eternity felt so linear—premortal existence, (check), mortality, (check), spirit world, resurrection, and hopefully eternal life. Eternity seemed to be every thing before mortality and every thing after mortality.

I began paying attention to language in covenants. No covenant that I’ve experienced says, “You only ever receive the blessing of this covenant after you’re exalted.”

In fact, Amulek clearly taught

Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.

Now is the time…immediately shall the plan be brought about. Now…immediately. Today. Right now. Now is eternity.

King Benjamin showed the efficacy of God’s covenant keeping.

[H]e doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you.

When I keep a commandment, or a covenant condition, the Lord immediately sends the reciprocal blessing.  Again, immediately, now.  Not in some future time or space, but immediately.  The Lord doesn’t function in a state of indebtedness. All is His to give and He gives freely, mercifully, justly and immediately.

Akish and Omer & Emer — Case Studies on Covenant Now

So many scriptural stories display God’s covenant keeping hand, especially in the Book of Mormon. My recent scripture study just took me through a story displaying God keeping His word to those who kept theirs.

The story highlights Jared, son of Omer who coveted his dad’s kingdom. He launched a coup, wrenched control of the kingdom, imprisoned his father, and ruled the kingdom. However, two of his brothers, bothered by the usurpation of power, battled Jared for the kingdom, won, and restored the kingdom to their father.

Jared sulked, angry, and depressed at the loss of power and kingdom. However, his daughter, familiar with ancient scripture, contrived a plan to lure Akish into asking for her hand and Jared stipulating the marriage by requiring Omer’s head.

Akish Sought the Kingdom

Akish agreed to the plan, formed secret alliance with friends and family, and planned to kill Omer overthrowing the balance of power.

However, the Lord warned righteous/covenant keeping Omer in a dream to flee the land. He departed and saved himself and his family’s lives.

Rethroned, Jared delivered his daughter to Akish. But Akish’s thirst for power was not quench.  He redesigned the original plan and Jared died on his throne. Akish seized power and ruled the kingdom.

Akish’s secret oaths and covenants among family and friends spread throughout the kingdom. Everyone sought power, gain, riches. Even though they’d sworn allegiance to their father, Akish feared his sons would wrest the kingdom from him.  He killed them and fought them until their infighting decimated the kingdom.

Now the people of Akish were desirous for gain, even as Akish was desirous for power; wherefore, the sons of Akish did offer them money, by which means they drew away the more part of the people after them.

And there began to be a war between the sons of Akish and Akish, which lasted for the space of many years, yea,unto the destruction of nearly all the people of the kingdom, yea, even all, save it were thirty souls, and they who fled with the house of Omer.

Omer and Emer Sought His Kingdom

Omer’s father Shule reigned in righteousness. Omer reigned in righteousness. Because of that relationship with the Lord, the Lord warned Omer to flee the land when his life was on the line. Omer continued to rule righteously in the land to which they fled. When Akish and company destroyed themselves, Omer returned to his land. When Omer died, his son Emer reigned in righteousness.

Wherefore, Omer was restored again to the land of his inheritance. 

And it came to pass that Omer began to be old; nevertheless, in his old age he begat Emer; and he anointed Emer to be king to reign in his stead.

And after that he had anointed Emer to be king he sawpeace in the land for the space of two years, and he died, having seen exceedingly many days, which were full of sorrow. And it came to pass that Emer did reign in his stead, and did fill the steps of his father.

And the Lord began again to take the curse from off the land, and the house of Emer did prosper exceedingly under the reign of Emer; and in the space of sixty and two years they had become exceedingly strong, insomuch that they became exceedingly rich—

Having all manner of fruit, and of grain, and of silks, and of fine linen, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things; And also all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kinds of animals which were useful for the food of man.

And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms.

And thus the Lord did pour out his blessings upon this land, which was choice above all other lands; and he commanded that whoso should possess the land should possess it unto the Lord, or they should be destroyed when they were ripened in iniquity; for upon such, saith the Lord: I will pour out the fulness of my wrath.

Grabbing Versus Getting

I see Akish grabbing, grabbing, grabbing for anything in or out of reach.  A lack of abundance became his vision and he needed more. For him to get more, he had to take more from anyone and everyone.

Omer and Emer trusted the God who said

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

They worshipped the Lord who promised

And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father;

And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him.

While Akish grabbed for power and things, God gave Omer and Emer power and things. His gift to them appeared to stem from their covenant relationship based on their righteousness. They began receiving “all that my Father hath” during their mortal now.

[Y]e know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

Forever is now. As we keep our covenant obligations, we receive God’s blessings that apply to the now immediately and without fail.