The year is 1985. It is summer time. There is a small arcade at the Dan’s grocery store about a mile from home. Each day during the summer, my friends and I would walk to the store for an ice cream and to play some video games. Sometimes I only had a quarter. Sometimes I had 4 quarters. But one thing was for sure, I was going to play “Punch Out.”
Your objective was to knock out the opponent and move on to the next one. Some of the ones you would fight were really big and would hit you hard. Each time you got hit, your power meter would go down. If you got hit too many times, you would get punched out and the game would be over. Each time you landed a hit on your opponent, your power meter would go up. During the play you would hear the announcer saying “upper cut, uppercut, body blow.” etc.
The other day during sacrament meeting I was thinking about this power meter which you often see in video games. There are things in my life, like the sacrament, which seems to increase my spiritual power meter. Others include temple attendance, reading the Book of Mormon, praying, or watching General Conference. They are all boosts to my spiritual power meter.
As I go throughout the day, things are being thrown at me. There are many things the world puts in front of you that hit you all day long and they wear down your spiritual power meter. If I go too long without increasing my spiritual power meter, I am susceptible to a knock out punch from Satan.
Quite often on a Sunday I will think, why can’t I be this spiritual and righteous every day? It reminds me of Nephi’s words. “Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard… Nevertheless, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me… And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin? O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.” 2 Nephi 4: 17-35
I think that the natural man drains our spiritual power meter and that is why the basics are so important. Prayer, multiple times a day. Scripture reading daily, especially the Book of Mormon. Temple attendance, as often as you can. Weekly church worship and partaking of the sacrament. Family home evening. Family prayer. Reading, watching, and listening to uplifting media. Everything in the world seems to hit you and wear you down. These basics are what build us back up again. We can fight temptation. We can fight Satan. But not on a week spiritual power meter. Build up that power meter and go for the Knock Out! KO! This weekend is General Conference and I am so looking forward to feeling the Spirit, receiving direction from the Prophet and Apostles, and to get my spiritual power meter loaded to the max. I need it.
https://www.youtube.com/user/LDSGeneralConference
Rocky Mountain Sunshine 