Sometimes I Need The Words I Say... and the Brother of Jared
Do you ever just go back through your blog, through the things you've recorded?
I do on occasion and sometimes I think... gosh I'm glad I wrote that down... I totally had forgotten!
Other times I sit and cry, mostly when I've poured my heart out in a post... the post about my dad still makes me cry.
Recently I read through a post that I'd totally forgotten about.
It's called I AM... Words of Affirmation.
You should read it.
I'm glad I wrote that.
I'm glad I felt that. I'm glad I shared that.
As I look back at this almost full year that has passed since I'd written that, I see growth in myself, I see healing, I see how I've changed.
I'm glad that I write. Sometimes I say things that I really need to hear! :)
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Today is Sunday. Today I post about my faith.
Recently as I've been studying the end of the Book of Mormon (study with me here) I've been thinking about the brother of Jared.
We know he was a man of great faith. He recorded seeing both the finger of the Lord, then the Lord himself, great faith.
Was he perfect? Nope. He is reprimanded several times for not leaning on the Lord, not calling out to the Lord.
Do we have to be perfect to have faith? Nope! Good thing!
As I read through the story of him getting his family ready to cross the sea, his building of these barges, the story of the stones I was impressed to look at this story a little different.
For those of you who don't know the story, Jared's family lived in the time of the Tower of Babel. This record tells us how they were faithful to the Lord and asked the Lord not to confound their language. This family makes a journey to a new land, the America's. They live, keep a record and eventually become wicked and are destroyed.
Later down the line Lehi's family also comes to the America's from Jerusalem (contemporaries with Jeremiah from the Old Testament). They live, keep a record, time goes on... at one point the people of Nephi find the record of the Jaradites and keep it with their record. These are all passed down, then compiled by Mormon, then hid in the mountain by his son Moroni. This happens as this people have also fallen to such wickedness that they have all been destroyed.
This record is what Joseph Smith found in the Hill Cummorah. This is the record that he translated through the power of God... this is the Book of Mormon... an additional witness of our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ.
The Lord tells the brother of Jared how to get across the sea, much like he told Noah how to build an ark, and Nephi to build a boat. Brother of Jared built barges.
How does he know how to build them?
The Lord shows him.
As I read through this I thought about the instruction given by the Lord.
He had showed the brother of Jared what to do... he had a plan, he shared it, the brother of Jared executed it. Then the brother of Jared questioned... how will we steer, how will we see?
Was he questioning just to find out, or was he a little afraid? Was he acting in faith or fear?
After the Lord had shown him how to build these things, did he not think the Lord would provide a way for his own plan to be executed?
The Lord told the b of Jared how he'd steer, the Lord would take care of it, blowing the wind.
When he asked about how they would see, the Lord wanted b of Jared to come up with a solution.
Why?
I think maybe the b of Jared was asking with some fear, so to help him... the Lord needed him to exercise his faith. That is why he asked him to find the solution.
I wonder how the story would've gone if after he was done building the b of Jared would've said, 'Ok, what's next?' Having perfect faith that the Lord would say, 'Now drill holes and find stones.' And continue to tell him how to execute his plan.
The scriptures are full of stories of imperfect, faithful people. We see that we all need to work on our faith. Even the best of us fear and wonder if our Heavenly Father really has a plan, or our best interests at heart. And so he gives us things to build our faith. He lets us find our solutions.
After working for his solution the b of Jared went to the Lord, clearly restored in faith...
4 And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea.
And indeed the Lord does...
This story this time around made me reflect on myself.
How often do I question the Lord, 'what about this, and what about that'... sometimes I imagine it much like life with my kids... before I can even get a full explanation out they are questioning me, doubting me, wanting to see the full picture before I can even explain!
Do I do that? Or, do I exercise my faith and trust that the Lord will continue to lead me and guide me as He has done?