What does this chapter teach me about God's relationship with His children?
What does this chapter teach me about my Savior?
How can I use the principles and examples from this chapter to improve my own relationship with the Savior and my Heavenly Father?
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS TO PONDER
Reread Vs. 13-15. Do we ever feel that we've "arrived" in our lives, whether in temporal or spiritual matters, and remain ignorant to the fact that God has more planned for us? What do these verses teach us about how to avoid that trap? What do these verses teach us about our loving Heavenly Father?
Verses 16 through 25 reveal a significant pattern of communication between Heavenly Father and the Brother of Jared. What can we learn from this pattern?
So many times I hear good meaning people say, "God expects us to do the work and then ask."
ReplyDeleteI think a better way is to ask for help first, study it out, ask again for help, come up with what you think is the best solution, ask again and then being willing to follow the spirit all along the way. Nephi is a great example of this as well as the brother of Jared.
One of my favorite things about Brace is that when he worked in garage doors he was always following the spirit. The Spirit would tell him which Home Depot store to visit or what customer needed help. I think we forget that God is the master mechanic, parent, musician and student. He can help us with anything both temporal or spiritual. Keep asking - He is ready to bless us.
In reading Ether cpt. 2 I was initially struck by the similarities between the Jaradites and others who have been a similar situations where they have been commanded to build a "boat" and essentially seperate themselves from their current condition or location, ie Noah and his family, Lehi and his family, perhaps even the pilgrims, etc. Each brought things like animals - male and female, fish, foul, seeds, etc.
ReplyDeleteThen there seems to be a familiar blessing/curse as it pertains to the inhabitants of the "promised land" - that they will serve the Lord or they will be swept off. In verse 12 the word "if" really stands out to me. Great blessings are promised us if we keep the Lord's commandments. In vs. 13 I find it interesting that they finally use the name of the "brother of Jared" ...Moriancumer...and name the land after him. I am also reminded of their human nature when we read that he was reprimanded by the Lord for being inconsistent or totally negligent in communicating with Him. Joseph Smith and others have had times of correction. So we should not be surprised when we are in need of correction. (Very consistent with a Father/Child relationship - we need to remember he reproves those whom he loves.) It reminds me of my responsibility of holding up my end of the relationship.
In vs. 19 the brother of Jared takes two problems before the Lord. One problem is how do deal with the lack of light inside these ships or "barges" that have been built for watertight/airtight ocean travel. The second problem was how do they deal with the lack or oxygen or fresh air. It is interesting that the Lord provides one solution by telling him what to do about the air issue and then he only validates his other concern by rehearsing to him the obvious problems regarding the light issue and then asks, "What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels? " Then he tells him of his plans for their protection and success in making such a journey and asks one final time "Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?"
I often see the scriptures from a familial point of view...reminding myself that God is literally our Father in Heaven and Christ our brother. And answers to prayer, expectations, rules, standards set for us His children seem consistent with ideal parenting. In the case of Ether 2 the Lord is showing his trust and confidence in the brother of Jared and also sets the expectation that he has a responsibility to go to work and figure some things out on his own. This requires thought, work, creativity, etc. all things that we expect from our own children.
There may be a lesson here to us in the various roles we have in our own lives, for example we may learn from this our responsibility to come up with solutions to our own problems and seek the Lords guidance in the process. It may also teach us how to be better parents by encouraging our own children to solve their own problems and not step in every time to rescue them from this process.