Abinadi Testifies of the Atonement

"4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

 6 All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all." (Mosiah 14:4-6)

This is Abinadi quoting Isaiah. He was a prophet and he was testifying of what he knew to be true, even though it hadn't physically happened yet. Christ wouldn't come to earth for another 150 years or so, but Abinadi was so confident that it was going to happen, that he speaks as if it had already occurred.

I think that this just lays out the Atonement as it was. Christ went through what He went through in the garden and on the cross not because He needed it at all, but because we did.

I love that it talks about our griefs and sorrows as part of the Atonement. The Atonement is not just a sin-cleansing thing. It's amazing! It is anything that we can think of. It is for sickness, sorrows, and frustrations. It is for us when we are lonely, or sad. It helps us in everything we might need help.

A focus of the Atonement is that we are not perfect and we need an Atonement in order to return to Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father demands perfection, but understands that we can't do it alone. His plan included sending a Savior to perform an Atonement.

I testify that the Atonement is real. It has helped me in my life as I have sinned and also as I have struggled. I feel as though the Savior really knows me and my struggles and my weaknesses, and He is there for me to help me...if I ask for His help.

That's the key. The Atonement is there for all to call upon and make effective in our lives, but we must call upon it. As with everything else, God has given us the freedom to choose.

Choose the Atonement. Choose to need the Savior. It will make a difference in your life. It has in mine.