Elder Marvin J. Ashton delivered this address which was printed in the November 1991 issue of the Ensign. You can read it in its entirety here, but I offer the following highlights.
He says he’s always been intrigued by the spiritual expression, “feeble knees.” While this makes us think of knees that aren’t physically strong, he also believes that it refers to fear, as we find it in Isaiah 35:3-4:
3. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
4. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
When we read this scripture, we envision those who are too fearful to go forward, and their knees will not carry them.
Elder Ashton goes on to tell us that in this day and age, he feels that we have much to fear. We tremble as we ponder our duties as parents, whether in raising children or providing for them, but he encourages us to strengthen ourselves so that we will not falter. We can do this by loving and serving one another. We can find good friends to confide in. He encourages us to study the scriptures and to not try to justify what they say to fit our own lifestyles, but rather, to feel the spirit of the words as they are written and to change our lifestyles accordingly. He warns us against the practice of breaking the Sabbath. “Sabbath days can be lost an hour at a time,” he says, and it is through keeping the Sabbath that our knees become strong.
He cautions us against quarreling and contention, and against letting our integrity slip to impress others. “It is not surprising to learn that people who tell white lies soon become color-blind.”
We do have reasons to fear, but we have more reasons to rejoice. The Prophet Joseph Smith has said that “No unhallowed hand will stop the work.” We know we are on the Lord’s side and that His side will triumph. He will strengthen us to the battle if we will ask Him.
Related Blogs: