Zenos on prayer

Like most people, I usually read silently, however reading the Book of Mormon out loud as a family has its perks. What jumped out to me this evening was the words of a prophet named Zenos, who apart from the few verses quoted to us by Nephi, Jacob, Alma, Helaman, and the Lord in 3 Nephi, we know very little.

I guess we know enough to say confidently that he lived either during or prior to the time of Lehi, with enough time to have made it on to the brass plates retained by Laban. I haven't done much research on the man but FARMS may have looked at his words, his name, and delved into his possible origins.

What was pleasing to me tonight is the structure of Zenos' prayer.

First, Alma asks his audience what they remember of the Zenos scripture on prayer/worship (I like how to Alma, prayer and worship are virtually interchangeable):

Alma 33:3 Do ye remember to have read what ^aZenos, the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or ^bworship?

Now, Zenos is quoted:

4 For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was ^ain the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine ^benemies, and thou didst turn them to me.

My take away: God heard me in the WILDERNESS

5 Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my ^afield; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me.

God heard me in the FIELD

6 And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer.

God heard me in my HOUSE

7 And when I did turn unto my ^acloset, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me.

God heard me in my CLOSET

A small thing, but nonetheless a simple way of outlining how the Lord hears us. Zenos prays in each example, yet the setting changes from a wide-open expanse (wilderness) to the smallest possible space (closet) in four quick illustrations and through each one, he represents how the Lord can hear us in any possible setting.

In verse 9 below, he mentions another unique setting, where he prays, "in the midst of thy congregations," which congregations I interpret to be the Lord's church-goers. All of whom are likely praying to the Lord at the same time, and yet Zenos shows that the Lord still heard Zenos, even while tending to the rest of his flock.

8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou ^awilt hear them.

9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations.

Then he turns again to the original prayer, which is "concerning his enemies."

10 Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been ^acast out and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, and thou didst ^bvisit them in thine anger with speedy destruction.

Even during the times of great sorrow was he heard. And why was he heard?

11 And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my ^asincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine ^bafflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, ^cbecause of thy Son.

He was heard because of his afflictions and his sincerity, because of the Savior.