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
The brother of Jared put a lot of work into preparing the sixteen stones with faith that the Lord would use those stones to provide them light on their journey. In this case, the Lord lit the stones. What if the Lord hadn't lit the stones? How might one explain such an instance when a righteous desire was presented to the Lord and was not answered as hoped?
In verse 10, the brother of Jared asks the Lord to reveal himself, even after already receiving an incredible revelation. This leads to a special, spiritual experience in which he sees the Lord. What would have happened if he hadn't ventured to ask for that blessing? Are there blessings for which we might ask that we haven't thought to request or that we hesitate to address? Why do you think the brother of Jared felt he could be so bold? How can we be so bold as so actively seek all the best blessings the Father might grant us?
What can we learn from this chapter about personal revelation?
Hi, it's Monique again. After the brother of Jared was rebuked for forgetting the Lord, he immediately repented. He was a remarkable man, very large in stature, and able to take directions from both his brother and from the Lord. Now that Moriancumer was humbled, he was ready to be taught. He followed directions for building the barges, he was able to solve the problem of lack of air, and now he needed to figure out a way to illuminate the ships. He was also willing to do his homework. The Lord already knew how to light the ships, but Moriancumer had to think of the solution, then design it himself. Moriancumer knew that they would have a long and dangerous journey, driven by winds across a vast ocean, and that they would need some type of light. I love that he was so intelligent and that he also did his homework. He thought of using 16 molten stones and then he asked the Lord for help on the part of the solution he could not do himself: making the stones emit light. I love the part where the Lord honors Moriancumer by touching the stones, and the veil was removed and Moriancumer saw the finger of the Lord! It's miraculous! And then the Lord blessed the brother of Jared by showing Himself, as well as a vision of the world's history. Wow! If we follow the brother of Jared's example in all we do, not only will we be blessed with guidance from the Lord, but we will be gaining quite a bit of knowledge and intelligence of our own while in this lifetime.
ReplyDeleteI am struck by the brother of Jared's statement in verse 5: "Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men." I think it's true that the works of God often look small to us, even though they are deeply significant and indicative of God's matchless power. I think that because we are so used to perceiving things with our physical senses, when God carries something out that seems small as physically experienced (i.e. someone giving a much-needed phone call to someone in need at just the right time in answer to a prayer, etc.), we might dismiss it as a small thing because we receive phone calls every day and that doesn't seem like a big deal. But the spiritual reality of that event is extremely profound. That phone call is such miraculous evidence that God indeed speaks to us through the Spirit, that he knows our needs and how to meet them, that he loves us, that he uses us as instruments to serve, and a slew of other truths that would rock the world for good if everyone knew them and embraced them. That is no small thing.
ReplyDelete