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TheDiscipleMD

A few years ago I recieved an email from one of my sons.  He had just finished reading the classic, “A Tale of Two Cities”, by Charles Dickens and shared an interesting thought:

” I wanted to share with you a part of A Tale of Two Cities that I liked. This kind of caught me off guard about 2/3 into the book. One of the main characters is in jail at this point, his father in law and wife and child are working hard to get him out. His friend (who they mention several times has a striking resemblance to the man in jail) knows that the prisoner will most likely be executed, and seeing as how the prisoner has a family and a bright future and the friend has always been kind of a drunkard and scoundrel, the friend makes a deal with a “prison guard” that will allow himself to meet privately with the prisoner and then plans to switch clothes and be executed in his place… After making this deal he takes a long thoughtful walk, reflecting on his life…

“These…words, which had been read at his father’s grave, arose in his mind as he went down the dark streets, among the heavy shadows, with the moon and the clouds sailing on high above him. “I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die.”

When I passed this paragraph I got goose bumps from the rehearsed words of the savior. I liked the book, and I thought it was a good read and reading always ennobles the soul…but the effect of Dickens’ 386 pages on my mind and soul doesn’t even begin to compare with the few words stated here by Jesus Christ. I am grateful for every time the spirit testifies of truth, because that is what this was… when you really look at it, my feeling upon reading that few sentences was the Holy Ghost testifying to me that Jesus Christ is the resurrection, and the redeemer of mankind. I believe it with all my heart.”

It is certainly good to be reading uplifting books and we are encouraged to do so.  Many are full of inspiring messages. But nothing can take the place, or spirit, that attends us when we read the words of inspired prophets found in the scriptures. Certainly the words of our Savior carry more power than all the eloquent words of the greatest writers of our time. We need to find time to read the scriptures because it will uplift our lives. In a tale of two sittings, reading the scriptures is the ‘best of times’ and will offer us the most when it comes to the salvation of our souls.