Out of the Waters (My Father's Baptism)

1 Nephi 20

Out of His Waters

Out of his waters,

Come I.

I know, by the

Name of the Lord.

I swear, by the

truth within me.

A transgressor from the womb

I didst not know,

My brass brow,

My iron neck,

My molten image.

Suddenly, I saw.

The Lord of Hosts,

whose right hand spanned the heavens,

And causes us to stand up together,

He has cut me,

He has refined me,

And chosen me, to

utter and tell

with a voice of singing.

New,

and hidden things,

that flow

from the rock,

He clave.

Out of his mouth,

have his words gushed.

Not in secret,

But for the glory

of His name.

For He is the first.

He is the last.

He is the river of peace.

His righteousness is

As the waves of the sea.

Through the desert he leads me,

Staying my soul upon His name.

Multiplying my seed as the sand,

Teaching me profit,

Making my waters flow.

I have seen.

I have heard, and

That his anger might be deferred

I will declare.

The Lord hath loved us. Beware for

The arm of his pleasure shall

fall upon Babylon.

Out

of his waters

Come I.

Redeemed

His servant

Quenched

of my

thirst.

Linda Conkey Shaw C June 28 2010

Isaiah can be hard to understand. But I love the poetry within his words. Nephi told us he read the words of the prophets. One of these prophets was Isaiah from the Old Testament. When I read this chapter I was reminded of the zeal those who are newly baptized feel.

My father was a very zealous convert. He knew it was true and he declared to any who would listen. I am his sand.. that has multiplied. I am the quenching of his thirst. For I have been born to a new understanding (not a secret) but something that has been declared from the foundations of the world. I dedicate this poem to my father for Father's Day 2010 and to the newest members of our ward, the Michael and Sandra Babb family. I thought of their fire and how they accepted "the spirit" that allows him to declare with gladness all that they feel.

It is a joyous thing to be around those who "know" by the name of the Lord and swear by the truth within them.

I hope that you enjoy this poem. I hope to write many more.

(Words and Phrases)

(vs 1) Out of the waters .. Isaiah is speaking of all those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, either by Judah or by baptism. Waters change us. They clean us. They refresh us and bring us peace.

(vs 1) they swear not in truth - Many of us mention God. How many of us mention him in truth or sincerity. I hope that I can be more mindful of the times I mention his name.

(vs 2) do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel - It is to God that we must look. He has promised he will guide our paths and quench our thirst while he leads us through the desert.

(vs 3) I did show them suddenly - the epiphany. the moment when we get it. The light clicks on. We understand. We find truth suddenly. We feel it and We know. We just know.

(vs 4) thou art obstinate - whoa... I have been very obstinate. I have been brass browed. It is a reminder to me to consider all that I am before I declare what I think I know. God will help me understand. When we declare what we know with the spirit of the Lord, it is received with greater understanding.

(vs 5) my molten image hath commanded them. - I can only think of today's preoccupation with media and image. The molten image to me is our own image in the mirror. This image tends to command what we eat, how we dress, how we perceive ourselves, how we perceive others see us, IT DOES NOT COMMAND HOW GOD SEES US. Only if we allow it.

(vs 6) new things... even hidden things... I love this phrase. Why? Because every time I read the scriptures I find new things. I find hidden things that the spirit teaches me. I find them because I am looking for them. I find them because God helps me to see and this not only teaches me but it puts me afloat upon his river of peace.

(vs 7-9) God's words have always been. They are written so that we can never say... I heardest not. But God know's that we are hard of hearing, he will defer his anger and allow us time to learn, time to listen, time to declare.

(vs 15) I have called him to declare - Once we have heard, and understood, we all are called. Some of us hear better than others. Some of us declare in ways different than others. I declare through my blog. It brings me such joy.

(vs 16) God's ways are not in secret. His words are not in vain. His love is for all who will enter the waters and come out to a new understanding.

(vs 17-20) Isaiah helps us understand the blessings of listening to the words of the Lord of Hosts. We can find profit, peace like a river, leadership, promise for our family (offspring), ... a voice of singing will be within us. He will bring us water...

(vs 22)... no peace unto the wicked - How true. Look at those who refuse God. Anxiety, fret, worry, dismay, sorrow pain, anger, darkness. I know when I am separated from my God when I feel out of sorts. I lose my peace.