Bind up the Testimony

2 Nephi 18:16
“Bind up the testimony…..”

I remember reading this scripture when I visited the island of Malta several years ago - I don’t know whether because I was in a place where there was so much ancient history, including temples which are older than the pyramids in Egypt – but when I read the words, “bind up the testimony” I thought about mummies.

In order to stop the body decaying once someone had died, the Egyptians discovered a way to defeat this process by drying it out, using basically salt and bicarbonate of soda, so that bacteria and fungi couldn’t grow, then they embalmed the body and wrapped it in bandages.

It seems to me that there are some similarities to ‘binding up our testimony’. The object being to protect it from decay, to preserve it, but unlike mummification not just to preserve and protect, but to foster growth. The way that we ‘bind’ our testimony is through performing good works, following the example of the Saviour who “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), This can be likened to wrapping our testimony in bandages. But this is not enough, as without the preparatory use of chemicals decay still occurs, albeit at a slower rate. I liken this to ‘faith’; all the good work in the world will have little effect until our motive is our faith in Christ. Faith is the foundation, Christ is our Example, when coupled with Good Works our testimonies are protected from decay.

A bit of a ramble I know for just a few words of scripture, but I hope you are able to glean something from what I have shared:)