Feasting Upon That Which Truly Satisfies

2 Nephi 9:51 - "Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness."

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf - "Work can be ennobling and fulfilling, but remember Jacob’s warning not to 'spend … your labor for that which cannot satisfy.' If we devote ourselves to the pursuit of worldly wealth and the glitter of public recognition at the expense of our families and our spiritual growth, we will discover soon enough that we have made a fool’s bargain. The righteous work we do within the walls of our homes is most sacred; its benefits are eternal in nature. It cannot be delegated. It is the foundation of our work as priesthood holders." 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Welcome to Seek This Jesus. A daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in his footsteps.

SPEAKER_02 0:30

Many things in life ask for our time, energy, money, and attention. We work hard, stay busy, make plans, buy things, chase goals, and try to build a good life. But even after all of that effort, we may still feel empty. We may wonder why certain pursuits leave us dissatisfied even after we finally get what we thought we wanted. The world often promises satisfaction, but many of its promises do not last. The Lord wants more for us than temporary happiness. He wants us to find lasting peace, joy, and purpose through Him. Jacob taught people who were surrounded by pride, wealth, and worldliness. He warned them that they could spend their lives pursuing things that would never satisfy their souls. He invited them instead to come unto the Savior and partake of something eternal, something that could truly fill them. Second Nephi nine, verse fifty one states Wherefore do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken, and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not. Neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness. As we study this verse today, along with teachings from Elder Dieter F. Uchdorf, we will consider what it means to seek what truly satisfies and keep our focus on Jesus Christ. Jacob teaches a simple but powerful truth. Not everything we spend our time, money, and effort on has eternal value. There are many things that may seem important in the moment, but leave us feeling empty afterward. We can spend years chasing success, comfort, entertainment, status, possessions, or recognition, and still find that our hearts are not full. The warning in this verse is not only about money. Jacob also speaks about labor. We can labor for things that cannot satisfy. We can give our strength, our attention, and our best energy to things that have little eternal worth. Sometimes that labor may look productive on the outside, but if it pulls us away from God, family, discipleship, or righteousness, it can leave us spiritually empty. This verse invites us to ask an important question. Will what we are pursuing truly satisfy us? Some decisions bring temporary pleasure but lasting sorrow. Sin often promises happiness, excitement, or relief, but it always leaves a person emptier than before. Pride, selfishness, greed, lust, and worldliness may appear attractive for a moment, but they never nourish the soul. The Savior offers something entirely different. He offers peace that lasts. He offers forgiveness, purpose, truth, and joy. He does not ask us to give up temporary things so we can have less. He asks us to come unto him so we can have more, more peace, more strength, more meaning, and more satisfaction. Jacob uses the word feast to describe what the Savior offers. A feast is not small or limited. It is abundant, it fills us, it leaves us satisfied. Jesus Christ does not offer scraps for the soul. He offers living water and the bread of life. Part of what makes this verse so powerful is that Jacob is not teaching that work itself is wrong. Work is important, labor is necessary. Providing for our families, caring for our homes, serving others, and developing our talents are all good and righteous things. The issue is not whether we work, the issue is why we work and what are we ultimately seeking through our labor. Elder Dieter F. Utdorf taught.

SPEAKER_00 5:34

If we devote ourselves to the pursuit of worldly wealth and the glitter of public recognition at the expense of our families and our spiritual growth, we will discover soon enough that we have made a fool's bargain. The righteous work we do within the walls of our homes is most sacred. Its benefits are eternal in nature. It cannot be delegated, brethren. It is the foundation of our work as priesthood holders.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

The world may celebrate wealth, status, influence, and achievement, but the Lord values faithfulness, service, kindness, sacrifice, and love. The work we do in our homes matters, teaching children, strengthening marriages, serving family members, studying the gospel, praying together, and building a Christ centered home or eternal efforts. Those things satisfy because they are connected to God's purposes. We may sometimes be tempted to believe that satisfaction comes from having more money, more recognition or more possessions. But many people who have those things still feel empty inside. Lasting fulfillment comes when our lives are centered on Jesus Christ. When He becomes the focus of our labor, even ordinary work becomes sacred. This verse invites us to examine our priorities honestly. We can ask ourselves what we spend most of our time thinking about. We can ask what we are chasing, what we are sacrificing for, and what we hope will finally make us happy. We may need to ask whether we are spending too much energy on things that will not matter in eternity. Are we so busy making a living that we forget to build a life of faith? Are we giving our best attention to screens, entertainment and distractions while neglecting scripture study, prayer, family relationships, and service? The Savior invites us to feast upon things that do not perish. We feast upon His Word when we study the Scriptures. We feast upon His love when we pray sincerely. We feast upon His Spirit when we worship, repent, serve, and keep our covenants. When we come into Christ we do not leave feeling emptier. We leave feeling stronger. We leave with more peace, we leave with more direction. His gospel fills the soul in a way that nothing else can. So here is today's challenge. Take a few quiet minutes today and ask yourself what you are spending your money, time, and labor on. Identify one thing in your life that is not truly satisfying your soul. Then identify one thing that draws you closer to Jesus Christ and gives you lasting peace. This week spend less time on what leaves you empty, and more time feasting upon what truly satisfies. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior Jesus Christ. Please, don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. As we open the scriptures for ourselves, the Spirit will teach us things no podcast ever could. If you are exploring the truths of the Book of Mormon for the first time, you can receive a free copy using the link in the description found in every episode of Seek This Jesus. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you stay focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.