Face to Face

Reading:   Alma Chapters 1-5

I've got to tell you, the first few chapters of Alma are quite impressively full of wars and contentions and mass bloodshed.  One of my favorite warriors, Gideon, is killed by Nehor (Alma 1:9), yes he was old and way past his fighting days with Alma in the land of Helam, and though I am sure he gave the pompous Nehor a good fight, it was still sad to see him go.  I'll be honest though, what better way for a warrior to die than by the sword and in a fight defending the very God he would shortly meet, well, all the better, right?

Okay, on to another great fight...Alma versus Amlici...so, thousands upon thousands upon thousands are dying in this battle and somehow Alma the younger (chief judge and high priest of the Nephites) meets up with Amlici (leader of the Amlicites) and they contend mightily with each other....

ALMA 2:29-31

29 And it came to pass that Alma fought with Amlici with the sword, face to face; and they did contend mightily, one with another.

30 And it came to pass that Alma, being a man of God, being exercised with much faith, cried, saying: O Lord, have mercy and spare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save and preserve this people.

31 Now when Alma had said these words he contended again with Amlici; and he was strengthened, insomuch that he slew Amlici with the sword.

Now, I don't like this just because of the intense battle and unlikelyhood of these two actually meeting face to face, poetic as that is, I like it because of the simple statement in verse 30, "Alma...being exercised with much faith."  This rings out loud for me!  The word "exercised" is poignant here because it notes an application of work to improve.  When I exercise by lifting weights,  punching a body bag, jumping rope, or jogging (yeah I don't do that one), or any type of repetitive action - I am performing a task to improve myself.  So, what I'm hearing here is that Alma was practiced in his faith, confident in his faith, he had prayed to God so often it was a type of muscle memory, he was vastly exercised and slew Amlici as an instrument of God.

Keep in mind that Alma, not 10 years earlier, was preaching against the church with the sons of Mosiah.  So there was an extreme about face and a heavy dose of repentance, study, and humility that had to come to bear in his life - he had to seriously exercise!

Even as a young man when I wanted desperately to learn karate, boxing, judo, anything to make me tougher, even then, I would sometimes ponder about the power of God...I mean, if I had begun exercising my faith like I had done with boxing, basketball, dating, football, etc., who could defeat me?  I could stand in the ring with the greatest warriors, a battle royal of the most powerful men of every discipline, including weaponry, and by exercising my faith (my weapon, my skill, my practiced ability), all would be vanquished.  Powerful stuff and hey, its not too late...

~Kipling