No, not the kind with the paddles and banjos... A friend's post has had me thinking a lot about the theme of deliverance throughout the Book of Mormon. And since I recently listened to the entire Book of Mormon in the car over a 2.5 week period, some of the examples are still fairly fresh in my mind.
The Book of Mormon writers (and abridgers) wanted to make sure we understood that Christ delivers the faithful and those who put their trust in Him. What really stuck out to me this time is the thought that very seldom are we spared from trials/tribulations/etc. or rescued immediately. The Lord's timing can be as instructive as is our delivery by His hand.
Nephi had an awesome attitude and never faltered in his faith. He and his brothers are sent back to Jerusalem to retrieve the brass plates. Their first two attempts didn't go well and they end up hiding. Laman and Lemuel proceed to beat Nephi and Sam with rods. An angel appears, and asks why they are beating their younger brothers. If it were me, I'd probably be asking the angel if he was stuck in traffic or stopped to get a snack. This sort of intervention would've been great before the beatings started. But Nephi doesn't complain and takes the opportunity to give his older brothers a pep talk.
On the way back from picking up Ishmael and his family, Nephi gets tied up and left to be eaten by wild animals. He prays and receives the strength to burst his bands. No waiting, just pray and receive; immediate deliverance.
FFWD >> Laman & Lemuel didn't like Nephi correcting their rude behavior on the boat, so they bind him with strong cords for four days. They eventually untie him when they realize they are about to be killed in the storm. Nephi grabs the liahona and prays to the Lord. My prayer would've included, "... and if Laman and Lemuel should happen to accidentally fall over the side, please let them get eaten by sharks", but Nephi just prays and gets the ship back on course. So, what does this teach me about deliverance? Do you think at some point during those four days Nephi may have prayed, "O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound" as he did in the wilderness (1 Nephi 7:17)? It worked the last time. Each previous time Nephi had been delivered, it had been with minimal waiting. Why did the Lord wait so long this time? It doesn't seem fair that Nephi had to suffer so Laman and Lemuel could be taugh a lesson. Maybe Nephi needed to learn something about himself which he couldn't learn in any other way?
What about the story of Alma and Amulek? Their time in Ammonihah did not go well. They end up being cast into prison where the judge and several of the people take turns hitting them and spitting on them, and taunting them for a few days while depriving them of food and water. They finally stand and plead with God, "How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance." They break their bands, the prison comes tumbling down around them, killing their captors, and the two men walk out free and unharmed. Score one for miraculous deliverance.
Alma was "constrained by the spirit" not to use the priesthood to prevent the faithful women and children from being burned in the flames. Could he also have been constrained not to use it to free themselves from prison and the related abuse? Do I have enough faith in the Lord and His plan to sit patiently, often enduring great hardships, until He says it's time to use the "get out of jail free" card?
So, where am I going with all this? The thought which keeps coming to mind is that God does deliver the faithful. No question there. But, the desired deliverance almost never comes how we expect it, or even when. For Abinadi, deliverance came through his martyrdom in flames. The women and children of Ammoniah who were thrown into the fire? The "Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory". The Army of Helaman was miraculously delivered in battle, even though each of them were wounded. Nephi and his brother Lehi were delivered from the Lamanite prison after being starved for a few days. The Nephites who believed Samuel's message of the Lord's birth were delivered, almost literally, at the last minute.
I do not doubt the Lord will deliver me from trial and hardship. I do, however, wonder a little bit as to whether I will play the part of Nephi and burst my bands right away, Alma the Elder whose burdens were made light so he couldn't feel them, Alma and Amulek who endured and witnessed great suffering before the prison comes down around them, or even Abinadi whose deliverance came in death. Whatever the Lord has in store for me, I just hope I can hold on long enough for the deliverance to come.
