33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.
34 Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely;
In the middle of a list of soul-searching questions, Alma gives us these words of encouragement. The Creator of the Universe is not only our ally, but He is eager to bless us. He wants us to be successful. As President Gordon B. Hinckley taught,
The Lord would want you to be successful. He would. You are His sons and His daughters. He has the same kind of love and ambition for you that your earthly parents have. (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 1997, 614).
Even as this passage emphasizes God’s generosity and His love for us, it also reminds us of His commitment to our agency. Notice how much of the action in these verses represents what we must do. If we accept His invitation, we need to:
- Repent
- Come unto Him
- Partake of the fruit of the tree of life
- Eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life
Today, I will respond to this invitation. I will pray with real intent, I will repent, and I will receive and enjoy the blessings which my Father in Heaven sends to me, with gratitude and humility.