The Arms of His Love

Arms of Love by Penny Neimiller

 We choose the circles we run in  – we have options and sometimes those options lead to where we had not supposed.  We find ourselves bound.  The Book of Mormon describes this as "the chains of hell."  That might sound rather harsh on the surface but really, the chains of hell simply are a condition we place ourselves in where we can no longer progress.  Our freedom to choose has been curtailed.  We are bound by sin or addictions and we find we have not the strength to change the situation.  We have lost our freedom to do so by our choices.  There is a way out however!  We can be released from these chains that bind and be instead encircled in the arms of His love.  One circle removes our agency and binds us down, the other enables us and lifts us up.  

13 O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe....

 15 But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.

(Book of Mormon | 2 Nephi 1:13 - 15)

This encircling love is also described as “the arms of mercy,”  “the arms of safety,” and “the arms of his love.”

These are all beautiful images and have vestiges of parental love in their expression.  This gesture happens figuratively when we accept the atonement, but we are encircled in the Savior’s arms literally in that final embrace when we have entered into His presence.   Then, that condition becomes permanent, sure, unbreakable of our own free will and choice. 

Satan’s chains originate out of our own making and choices as well, but we become bound and held against our will.  Instead of a loving embrace, we are imprisoned.  The Savior’s offering to us originates in his love for us.  Satan’s offerings are self- motivated and stem from his desires for dominion and power

Lehi, in talking to his children before his death is pleading with them to see the difference.   We, once again are choosing between Satan’s plan and the Savior’s offering of redemption.