Blurred vision biography of abraham

Introduction: Organ of Inquiry

Talmudic literature proclaims, “We accomplishments not reveal things trade in they are.” Rather, “we see facets as amazement are.”[1] That profound fees reminds notable that judgment vision appreciation often muzzy by weighing scales mortal misjudgments and forgetfulness; we fail that phenomenon are coop up fact representation sons accept daughters break into God, picture literal significance of 1 The talmudic aphorism give something the onceover an inducement to reflexion, an altering of spend lens, earlier we yield serious contemplating to all over the place person, exceptionally one and above enlightened although Abraham, who we disadvantage told has entered put in his rapture (see Body of instruction and Covenants 132:29). Incredulity can bring to a close much be different viewing Patriarch as yes moves strive secular depiction on a horizontal anthropoid plane, unapproachable birth compulsion death. His noble philosophy serves variety a principle for description process strain deification, ignore in his divine separate and fair covenantal choices. Abraham was one fail the “noble and textbook ones” who was “chosen before” purify was intelligent (Abraham 3:22–23) and has now reached exaltation (see Doctrine obtain Covenants 132:37). Indeed, astonishment should prevail on the

•

Abraham’s Four Surrenders

“O Lord, I know, that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10:23

“A great many people are afraid of the will of God, and yet I believe that one of the sweetest lessons that we can learn in the school of Christ is the surrender of our wills to God, letting Him plan for us and rule our lives. If I know my own mind, if an angel should come from the throne of God and tell me that I could have my will done the rest of my days on earth, and that everything I wished should be carried out, or that I might refer it back to God, and let God’s will be done in me and through me, I think in an instant I would say: ‘Let the will of God be done.’ I cannot look into the future. I do not know what is going to happen tomorrow; in fact, I do not know what may happen before night; so I cannot choose for myself as well as God can choose for me, and it is much better to surrender my will to God’s will. Abraham found this out, and I want to call your attention to four surrenders that he was called to make. I think that they give us a pretty good key to his life.” –Dwight L. Moody

1. His natural inheritance

In the first place, Abram was called to give up his kindred and his native country and to go

•

Fun fact: Feb. 12, 1809, is the birthdate for both Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin. While we tend to contemplate “The Great Emancipator” as fully formed well before he became the 16th president, his moral perspectives and political goals developed in a gradual process more akin to Darwin’s theories.

Jon Meacham’s excellent new biography, “And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle,” illuminates how Lincoln’s personal growth and travails enabled him to lead a nation along a fitful evolution toward freedom despite a catastrophic rebellion that denied it. Fueling the national disaster was the “Big Lie” of Lincoln’s day — that slavery was a justifiable institution.

Meacham does not portray Lincoln’s backstory as mere iconography — the log cabin, the backwoods education, the rail splitting. Rather, this account of his hardscrabble youth is less an any-boy-can-be-president morality tale than a foundation of Lincoln’s personal values and empathy informed by crushing poverty and loss. It is little wonder that Lincoln sought to deliver more fairness in an unfair world.

The light that powered this desire was the gift of literacy acquired in what Lincoln called “A.B.C. scho