The author of the epistle to the Hebrews emphasized that Jesus came to earth not as a gloried being but as a humble mortal. “He took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.” Why did He choose to live as we live? “That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest,” the author explains. “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:16-18).
The prophet Alma taught the same principle before the Savior’s birth. Speaking to the people in the Nephite city of Gideon, he described the most important future event in these terms:
The kingdom of heaven is at hand, and the Son of God cometh upon the face of the earth. …
And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
Alma 7:9, 11-12
To succor someone is to provide aid or assistance, particularly needed assistance when they are in distress. It stands to reason that someone who has experienced our pain, our afflictions, and our temptations is better positioned to recognize our distress to comprehend its seriousness and to understand how to relieve it.
The word descends from two Latin roots: sub, which in this context means “up to,” and correre, which means “to run.” So the literal meaning of the word is “to run toward.” When I hear the word, I imagine a person immediately dropping whatever they are doing to quickly respond to a desparate call for help.
Today, I studied some of the ways the Savior succors us, by reviewing a set of scriptures recommended by the Come, Follow Me manual. Here are my thoughts:
- Enos 1:5–6 – He can give us assurances which calm our anxieties and eliminate our guilt.
- Mosiah 16:7–8 – He can remove the “sting” from the difficult experiences of mortality by providing us with hope for a better future.
- Mosiah 21:15 – He can soften the hearts of the people around us, so that they treat us with more kindness or at least with less harshness.
- Mosiah 24:14–15 – He can strengthen us so that even the burdens we still have to carry feel lighter to us.
- 3 Nephi 17:6–7 – He can heal us from any kind of affliction or disability we experience.
- Ether 12:27–29 – He can “make weak things become strong” for us. When our weaknesses humble us, we are prepared to receive his abounding grace.
- Doctrine and Covenants 121:7–10 – He can help us endure the difficult experiences which are essential parts of our mortal experience. He can remind us of blessings to be grateful for, even during these challenging times.
Today, I will remember and be grateful for the many ways the Savior succors me and all of God’s children. I will remember that He willingly experienced mortal life so that He would be able to succor us in our afflictions.
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