Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Latter-day Saint
Higher Ground: Our Safety and Salvation

Higher Ground: Our Safety and Salvation

Last updated on: August 16, 2023 at 12:17 pm by Lisa Laycock

Higher Ground: Our Safety and Salvation 2023-08-16T12:17:19-04:00 Lisa Laycock

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Tsunami Requiring Move to Higher Ground

Tsunami Destruction (Mooney/Wikimedia Commons)

At 3:31 a.m. on February 27, 2010, our Santiago, Chile world was in turmoil, shaken by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake. Everything around us was hurled about, smashed, or overturned. The entire city went dark. When the quaking stopped, shock waves beneath the ocean formed a tsunami, pounding the country’s costal areas and forcing residents to flee inward and upward. As we think of the traumas of that eventful day, we sometimes think of how mental, emotional, and spiritual survival—as well as our physical well-being—require that we constantly move to higher ground**.**

A Sound of Warning

At the tsunami warning, 3 to 6 foot waves slammed over the coasts, leaving only minutes for people to flee at least 100 feet above sea level. Some waves lasted over 4 hours (Red Cross report). Gathering possessions, lingering to watch, or otherwise procrastinating could be fatal.

Reflecting on the quaking and fleeing, we think of a soul-slaying quake and tsunami of evil that are continually shaking and drowning God’s children. For safety we must hasten to spiritually higher ground. The wait is not merely a few hours. We must cling to that higher ground and never go back.

We’ll occasionally slip or slide—everyone does. We must get up quickly and keep our eyes forward.

Jeffrey R. Holland regretted “all manner of divisions and subdivisions, sets and subsets, digital tribes and political identities, with more than enough hostility to go around.” He gave hope of a “’higher and holier’ life,” insisting that “living at a more elevated level has always been one of the gifts of God to those who seek it.” 1

Ignoring waves of worldly temptations, we scramble to keep our feet on God’s path.

Companion Climbers

President Gordon B. Hinckley warned that moving to higher ground can be lonely. He recommended, “Bind to you friends of your own kind, friends who will encourage you, stand with you, live as you desire to live . . . who will resist the evil that you determine to resist.” 2

We recommend that those on higher ground unite in studying and applying Christ’s Atonement and following His living prophet(s). We support each other as we strive to continue doing good through small and simple tasks such as reading the scriptures daily and praying for heaven’s help to avoid temptation. Remember that in small and simple acts of goodness, we experience great miracles and blessings (Doctrine and Covenants 64:33).

Consider those who are approaching higher ground with less knowledge and experience. Share yours. As followers of Christ, serve them as you share Christ’s love.

Guidance and Support

As we prayerfully obey God’s warning to hasten to higher ground, the Holy Spirit guides us to know His will for each of us. Ground may be much higher than 100 feet. The Brother of Jared climbed a mountain when his people were ripe for moving. Moses was sent to the top of Mount Sinai when serious quaking was ready to break loose below. Nephi went far up a mountain to rise above brother-storms brewing on the seashore.

Elder Robert D. Hales explained, “To seek spiritual high ground is to rise above the world and its temptation and to follow our Savior.” He urged us to move toward higher ground by “cultivating an atmosphere in which the Spirit can always abide with us.” 3

As Church members, we work together to ascend to loftier thoughts, words, and deeds (Mosiah 4:30). The Holy Spirit guides us on our journey to this higher ground, making small improvements in our personal behavior and daily righteous observances “line upon line and precept upon precept” (2 Nephi 28:30), becoming a little better, a little kinder, a little more obedient each day!

Reaching ever higher, we must be making and keeping sacred covenants with God, being temple worthy as we climb toward the summit of celestial glory (Alma 37:6). Additional temples are opening to broaden higher ground for the increasing numbers of climbers.

God’s servants on earth are sounding alarms of prophecy, encouraging us to repent and resist temptation when we slide backward—to keep covenants that we have made and to make more promises to God. These warnings keep us moving toward higher ground, as distractions put us in danger from unsteady earth or rising tides.

Slippery Slope

TuTsunami Satan and his evil forces want to flood our lives with a tsunami of filth, degradation, and sin. We must choose to hasten to higher ground to be safe from floods of destruction. Once we reach higher ground, we must not leave!

The Book of Mormon tells of a Lamanite leader, Lehonti, camped with his men upon a mountain. Wicked Amalickiah urged Lehonti to “come down” and meet with him in the valley. Lehonti refused at first, but finally left the higher ground. Going down to the sea of wickedness, he was “poisoned by degrees” until he died.

Amalickiahs in our world today use arguments, accusations, flattery, social media persuasion, and other worldly influences to bait us to come down from our higher ground**.** Poison is in the winds and waves below. High ground is filled with light. High ground is safe ground—where God is.

As President Gordon B. Hinckley (cited previously) warned, what we choose to do today affects our eternity.

We testify that our Heavenly Father loves us, His children, more than we can imagine. He will help us hasten to higher ground as we choose to obey His will. If you love Him, keep His commandments (John 14:15). His plan for our life is more glorious and miraculous than we can ever imagine.

Previous Post

August 9, 2023

Enough for Today: Grace Line by Line

Next Post

August 23, 2023 I Glory in My Jesus

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Comfort and Healing Death and Resurrection Family gratitude Service Spiritual Growth Strength and Courage Uncategorized

Select a Month April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz