The Palm of His Hands

Feasting Upon the Words of Christ

When I tell my wife on fast Sundays how good dinner is she always comments that every thing tastes good on fast Sundays. She is probably right. After going without eating or drinking for 24 hours every thing tasts good. Why is it that when we have something taken away from us for a time, that when we get to have it again it is so much sweeter? It doesn’t matter if it is food, family, friends, or something else; if it is taken away the reunion is so sweet. One of my favorite scriptures is in 2 Nephi. The prophet Nephi is telling us what we need to do to gain eternal life. He tells us that we need to repent and be baptized and follow Christ by keeping his commandments. He then tells us that this is just the gate to the straight and narrow path that leads back to our Heavenly Father and eternal life. Then he says:

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. (2 Nephi 31:20)

What does Nephi mean to feast upon the words of Christ? If we go back to eating dinner on fast Sunday do you just nibble here and there at the food or do you dig in and devour it like it is your last meal? Likening that to the scriptures feasting means that we hunger to know the word of the Lord. We read, ponder, pray, and try to find out what the Lord wants us to learn from what we are reading. We don’t read once in a while, we can’t wait to get to the scriptures and find out what new treasures we can find.

Devin Durrant, First Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency, talked about the importance of reading the scriptures and pondering the meaning the scriptures have for us. He called it “ponderizing”. He said:

“My second invitation is quite different from and much more important than the first. It is this: I invite you to “ponderize”³ one verse of scripture each week. The word ponderize is not found in the dictionary, but it has found a place in my heart. So what does it mean to ponderize? I like to say it’s a combination of 80 percent extended pondering and 20 percent memorization.

“There are two simple steps:

“First, choose a verse of scripture each week and place it where you will see it every day.

“Second, read or think of the verse several times each day and ponder the meaning of its words and key phrases throughout the week.

“Imagine the uplifting results of doing this weekly for six months, a year, 10 years, or more.

“As you make this effort, you will feel an increase in spirituality. You will also be able to teach and lift those you love in more meaningful ways.

“As you reflect on your selected verse each week, words and phrases will be written on your heart.⁴ Words and phrases will also be written on your mind. In other words, memorization will take place easily and naturally. But the primary goal of ponderizing is to provide an uplifting place for your thoughts to go—a place that keeps you close to the Spirit of the Lord.

“The Savior said, “Treasure up in your minds continually the words of life.”⁵ Ponderizing is a simple and edifying way to do just that.

“I believe Nephi was a ponderizer. He said, “My soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them [continually], and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.”⁶ He was mindful of his children as he pondered and wrote the scriptures. How might your family benefit as you continually strive to fill your mind with God’s words?” (“My Heart Pondereth Them Continually”, Devin G. Durrant, General Conference, October 2015)

Elder Durrant, his wife, family members, and others have been ponderizing a verse of scripture each week for over three years. They have set a goal to ponderize a scripture a week for 20 years! His wife admitted that when Elder Durrant gave her the challenge that she did not know if she wondered if she could do it for a month. Now after three years, she has no problem setting the 20-year goal. Elder Durrant shared some of the testimonies of those who are doing this each week:

“After ponderizing for six weeks, a sister from Texas, USA, said: “My testimony has been strengthened, … and I have felt closer to my Heavenly Father. … I love how the word of God is changing me for the better.”

“A teenage friend wrote: “I’ve really enjoyed being able to [ponderize] because it has helped me to focus on things that are actually important.”

“One of our missionaries shared this: “I have been ponderizing a verse every week since June 2014, and I love it. … These scriptures have become like friends that I can rely on in times of need.”

“In my case, I feel the Spirit more fully as I ponderize weekly. My love of the scriptures has also increased as a result of striving to “let virtue garnish [my] thoughts unceasingly.” (“My Heart Pondereth Them Continually”, Devin G. Durrant, General Conference, October 2015)

Starting today I am going to ponderize a scripture each week. I invite others to join with me and we will see what happens. I am not sure if I can commit to the 20-year goal, but I will start with this year and see what happens. If you take the challenge and are interested in sharing your experience, there is a facebook page that was started by Sister Julie Durrant. You can share your weekly scripture and you experience there.

For my first scripture I think it is only right for me to start with the scripture from 2 Nephi 31:20:

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. (2 Nephi 31:20)

Your comments and questions are welcome.