Ether 2
Ether 2
I see a pattern that the Lord has followed with His children since the beginning (because this was, like, Genesis 11 time- way close to the beginning.) He takes them by the hand and leads them, then He lets them go for a bit to see how they do.
He did that with Adam and Eve in the Garden. He led Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt, then had them roam for 40 years before entering their "Promise Land." He led Lehi and His family out of Jerusalem, letting them wait for 8 years before they were led to this "Promised Land." There was also a space of years between the time He visited Joseph Smith the first time (in the First Vision) before He contacted him again.
He did that with Jared and his family here in chapter 2. They were led out of the land, then left for four years before the Lord came again to the brother of Jared. They talked for three hours! Can you imagine that?! (I wonder how much of that was being chastened. Bummer.)
The Lord is here to guide us and help us, but He does, at times, take a step back. Sometimes we can really feel, and some might even get upset. Some might forget to rely on Him as much (as the brother of Jared did. vs. 14) He gives us training wheels, but sometimes He has to take them off and let us ride on our own. If He didn't, we would never really know where we are, and how much we can really do.
His goal isn't to carry us through life. It is to PREPARE us so we can make it; It is help us to become strong, and intelligent, and spiritual. We are to become like Him. Not just to depend on Him- but to BECOME like Him.
My favorite verse is 25. The Lord is talking to them about their impending journey. They must have been nervous- maybe even afraid. He said, "And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the seas, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come..."
The key word is PREPARE. The Lord prepares us for the hard times. I guess He had the power to just clap His hands and somehow zap them over to the Americas, but they would have lost the opportunity to test themselves and grow.
I need to remember all that the Lord has done for me in preparing me. As I cross my 'deep seas', I need to trust that He wouldn't have sent me out if He didn't think I could safely navigate my way to the promised destination. I need to have faith that, not only did He prepare me, but that He has prepared the way for me.
I need to remember that, sometimes, I am somewhat on my own, because He wants me to see what I can do, and how much I have grown.
A couple years ago, my littlest one, Grace, wanted to see if she could make it all the way across the Monkey Bars at the play ground. She tried once and fell. So, I held her up while I coached her. We worked on her grip, the way she swung her legs, etc. I helped prepare her to cross the bars on her her.
I loosened my grip as she maneuvered her way back and forth. She became stronger and better- till the point where I knew she could make it on her own.
So, I told her I was going to let go.
She got scared. She said, "No, Mom. I'm going to fall, I can't do it."
But I knew she could. So, I said (paraphrasing), "You can. I've helped you prepare, and you are ready to do it on your own."
I let go, and she swung her little arms the way I taught her, and gripped the bars that way I taught her; and she made it all the way on her own!
I knew she could. And, now she knew she could, too.
I didn't leave her, I just let her be so she could prove to herself.
That's what the Lord does for us. Sometimes we are successful, and other times, we aren't so much. But, He is always there, watching us, and ready to catch us if we fall (though, sometimes He might let u fall a little but, if it's for our own good.)
Anyway, I could go on and on. I could talk about how we need to be humble and listen as we are being taught and prepared, or how we should have faith when we don't see Him that He is really there, and so on, but I'm already late posting this and I've got a bunch of stuff to do today!
I see a pattern that the Lord has followed with His children since the beginning (because this was, like, Genesis 11 time- way close to the beginning.) He takes them by the hand and leads them, then He lets them go for a bit to see how they do.
He did that with Adam and Eve in the Garden. He led Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt, then had them roam for 40 years before entering their "Promise Land." He led Lehi and His family out of Jerusalem, letting them wait for 8 years before they were led to this "Promised Land." There was also a space of years between the time He visited Joseph Smith the first time (in the First Vision) before He contacted him again.
He did that with Jared and his family here in chapter 2. They were led out of the land, then left for four years before the Lord came again to the brother of Jared. They talked for three hours! Can you imagine that?! (I wonder how much of that was being chastened. Bummer.)
The Lord is here to guide us and help us, but He does, at times, take a step back. Sometimes we can really feel, and some might even get upset. Some might forget to rely on Him as much (as the brother of Jared did. vs. 14) He gives us training wheels, but sometimes He has to take them off and let us ride on our own. If He didn't, we would never really know where we are, and how much we can really do.
His goal isn't to carry us through life. It is to PREPARE us so we can make it; It is help us to become strong, and intelligent, and spiritual. We are to become like Him. Not just to depend on Him- but to BECOME like Him.
My favorite verse is 25. The Lord is talking to them about their impending journey. They must have been nervous- maybe even afraid. He said, "And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the seas, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come..."
The key word is PREPARE. The Lord prepares us for the hard times. I guess He had the power to just clap His hands and somehow zap them over to the Americas, but they would have lost the opportunity to test themselves and grow.
I need to remember all that the Lord has done for me in preparing me. As I cross my 'deep seas', I need to trust that He wouldn't have sent me out if He didn't think I could safely navigate my way to the promised destination. I need to have faith that, not only did He prepare me, but that He has prepared the way for me.
I need to remember that, sometimes, I am somewhat on my own, because He wants me to see what I can do, and how much I have grown.
I loosened my grip as she maneuvered her way back and forth. She became stronger and better- till the point where I knew she could make it on her own.
So, I told her I was going to let go.
She got scared. She said, "No, Mom. I'm going to fall, I can't do it."
But I knew she could. So, I said (paraphrasing), "You can. I've helped you prepare, and you are ready to do it on your own."
I let go, and she swung her little arms the way I taught her, and gripped the bars that way I taught her; and she made it all the way on her own!
I knew she could. And, now she knew she could, too.
I didn't leave her, I just let her be so she could prove to herself.
That's what the Lord does for us. Sometimes we are successful, and other times, we aren't so much. But, He is always there, watching us, and ready to catch us if we fall (though, sometimes He might let u fall a little but, if it's for our own good.)
Anyway, I could go on and on. I could talk about how we need to be humble and listen as we are being taught and prepared, or how we should have faith when we don't see Him that He is really there, and so on, but I'm already late posting this and I've got a bunch of stuff to do today!
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