3.027 Rather than Why Me, How About We Go Forth

In Matthew 5, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth and the light of the world, reminding us that our lives are meant to preserve, illuminate, and point others to Him. This season on Savory Salt, we'll walk through the Old Testament, one verse and one thought each day. Perhaps these moments will add greater savor and brighter light to our lives as we seek to truly live as Savory Salt.

Hello, my friends, it's a new day with new opportunities. Choose ye this day whom you will serve. I think perhaps we've all experienced it in some way, that feeling of, why me?

Why did you pick me? If so, perhaps the message today is for you. We're reading this week Genesis chapter 5 and Moses chapter 6, and inside of it we're going to focus on the story of understanding Enoch.

This man who seemingly in one aspect just disappears with God, and yet in Moses chapter 6 we get such a deeper, rich, and I think personally connecting story. There's so much of me in Enoch and so much of Enoch in me, and I think as you read it, you'll find you inside this story as well. I do want to give a warning this week: I might bounce around.

I typically try to kind of go in a flow of sorts, but since this is really just two chapters this week, I may go forward in the story; I may back up in the story a little bit. So, forgive me this week as I go through this. There are just some pieces that I feel like we can kind of put together, and sometimes that comes out of order for the verses.

So, there's your warning for the week as we dive into this and take a look more at Enoch's story. Now we get into our verse for today, which is going to come in Moses chapter six, verse 32. And before that, you need to kind of understand: the Lord calls Enoch and tells him everything that he's supposed to do.

Right? And it's basically prophesied, this specific message. And then we get Enoch's response to that.

That's what I want to look at in verse 32. Actually, verse 31 is Enoch's response. Sorry, I should tell you that before we get to the Lord's response to Enoch.

Verse 31. Enoch says, "Why me? Who am I?

I'm this young guy. People don't like me. I don't speak well." He's got all the reasons why it shouldn't be him.

Now, have you and I ever experienced that? I know I have in my life sometimes when people have been like, "Hey, Allen, come do this." And I go, "Why did you pick me to do that?" And maybe even specifically sometimes in callings inside of the Church as well, or assignments in the Church, opportunities to serve others. And I go, "I don't think I'm the best person for this." Here's our response from the Lord in our verse for today.

It's Moses 6, verse 32. "And the Lord said unto Enoch: Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open thy mouth, and it shall be filled. And I will give the utterance for all flesh is in my hands, and I will do as seemeth me good." Now we get to see the end of Enoch's story.

And the end of Enoch's story is crazy awesome. He and his entire city are going to be translated by the Lord and taken up into heaven. That's crazy cool, right?

Like that doesn't even happen often in scriptures, right? So we get to see Enoch's end of his story. But Enoch has a moment here where he's staying on the why me side.

He's focusing on all the reasons why it shouldn't be him. And what does the Lord say in response to that? He doesn't sit down and say, "Enoch, let me tell you your list of amazing characteristics." He doesn't say, "Enoch, I want to explain to you why I did this." The Lord said unto Enoch, "Go forth and do as I have commanded thee." That was the Lord's response to Enoch.

And I think today that would be the Lord's response to us as well. When we get stuck in moments where we are so convinced that we are not up to the job, we are convinced, "Lord, you got this wrong. I am not the person here." Remember the counsel we have had from living prophets.

And that is—I think this comes from President Monson—"The Lord qualifies whom he calls." And other times I've been able to do as the Lord has said unto Enoch and said, "Allen, get up, go forth, and do as the Lord has commanded." And he will open the path to accomplish the task. How empowering, my friends, is it for us to lean in and, rather than focus on all the "why me" moments, focus on all the gaps and all the inadequacies, how about instead we decide to say, "Lord, I'm ready to go forth." That is an empowering moment for all of us. I love the message that Enoch gets from the Lord.

And I think it's a message we all can take to heart today as well. That's all for today, my friends. You and I have come here for such a time as this.

Step forward in faith and let's be Savory Salt. We'll be here tomorrow and we hope you