Just 30 minutes a day…

There are about 1,440 minutes in a day and it is amazing how quickly they pass.  Would you believe me if I told you that the way you chose to spend just 2% of that time can make all the difference between the way to spend the other 98%?  What about if I told you that there was something that you could do in that 2% of your day that would determine your eternal destination?  It seems like 30 minutes a day, in the grand scheme of things, is insignificant but there is indeed something you can do, for only 30 minutes a day, which will make all the difference in your life.  Have you figured it out yet?  The answer is scripture study.

Scriptures study is such a fundamental tenant of our religion and so vitally important to our spiritual growth and sustainment.  For thousands of years the common person did not have access to read the scriptures–they relied upon their local clergy to teach them the truth and interpret scripture for them.  However, in our day, we have been blessed to have ready access to thousands of pages of scripture.  I can promise you that the blessings you receive for spending just 30 minutes a day in reading and pondering the word of God will make all the difference–a difference that leads me to believe that this is the best 30 minutes of my day.

In order to help motivate you, I would like to discuss three blessings that come from studying the scriptures: a seedling, a breastplate, and an antenna.

First, the Seedling.  As we study the scriptures we build our faith.  This is where we get the spiritual reserves that sustain us in times of need.   Where does faith come from?  Elder D. Todd Christofferson offered this explanation in the most recent General Conference:

Faith will not come from the study of ancient texts as a purely academic pursuit. It will not come from archaeological digs and discoveries. It will not come from scientific experiments. It will not even come from witnessing miracles. These things may serve to confirm faith, or at times to challenge it, but they do not create faith. Faith comes by the witness of the Holy Spirit to our souls, Spirit to spirit, as we hear or read the word of God. And faith matures as we continue to feast upon the word (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “The Blessing of Scriptures,” Ensign, May 2010)

In Alma 32, Alma compares the word to a seed.  If planted in fertile soil and nourished, the seed, if it is good, grows into a tree that produces the most desirable fruit.  However, it needs to be nourished!  How is that accomplished?  In just 30 minutes a day of personal scripture study and meditation.   Alma continues in comparison by offering a promise to all those who will nourish the word:

“And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious…and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.” (Alma 32:42).

So if we nourish the word with patience and diligence we will receive this great blessing!

Interestingly enough, there is also a gentle rebuke for those who choose not to take the time to build their faith, “if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.” (Alma 32:40).  So if we don’t take the time to build our faith, by patience and diligence in studying the scriptures, we will be denied the blessings.

Second, a breastplate.  One of the greatest blessings that comes as we study and ponder the scriptures is the added protection from the adversary.  This is a difficult blessing to recognize because Satan is so subtle in his tactics and sometimes we don’t even realize that he is working on us–we just get discouraged, doubtful, or depressed.  In my view, this is one of the best things for us–and something we are in more and more need of as the world grows increasingly wicked.  Before you leave for the day, make sure you don the breastplate offered through scripture study.

Moroni and his army illustrate the benefit of breastplates.  In Alma 43, the Lamanites are at it again, attacking the Nephites, trying to subdue them.  The Nephites are only interested in defending their lives, their families, their freedoms, and their religion.  Unfortunately, it seems the Lamanites are always overpowering them–at least if you look at the numbers.  Captain Moroni got wise though: he equipped his troops with breastplates

“And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that…Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing—

Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows and their arrows, their stones and their slings; and they were naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins…

But they were not armed with breastplates, nor shields—therefore, they were exceedingly afraid of the armies of the Nephites because of their armor, notwithstanding their number being so much greater than the Nephites.” (Alma 43:19-21)

The Nephites went on to win that battle because the Lamanites were exposed while the Nephites were protected.  Like the Nephites, we can be protected against the wiles of the adversary if we will daily immerse ourselves—for only 2% of the day–in the scriptures.  We wouldn’t dare enter into battle without armor, why would we want to confront the day, where Satan is running rampant and we see wickedness on every side, without putting on that promised protection which the scriptures offer?

Finally, the antenna.  When I was doing my Master’s degree I took a wireless security class.  During one of our experiments we discovered how big of a difference a simple antenna can make.  There is a particular technology that is only good at like 10 meters but with the addition of an antenna we were able to amplify the signal out to 200 meters.  That is a BIG difference!

Likewise, simply spending 30 minutes a day absorbed in the scriptures significantly amplifies our ability to receive personal revelation and receive guidance from the Holy Ghost.  All of us have been promised the companionship of the Holy Ghost since our baptism; however, we spend a lifetime trying to increase our ability to hear and heed the Spirit.  One of the greatest ways to accomplish that, I’ve found, is to spend time each day in the scriptures–almost as if each session of scripture study gives us just a little more boost to our signal.

I’m no expert in scripture study but I can testify that these promised blessings are real.  Heavenly Father is anxious to bless us; we are only limited by our own faithfulness.  As we study the scriptures our faith will grow (like the seedling), we will be protected from the adversary (like the breastplate), and we will be able to feel the communications from the Spirit more clearly (like the antenna).  So will you take hold of these blessings and begin today studying the scriptures?