This is the Jaredites here. They have just made barges, gathered all manner of necessities and jumped in not knowing where they were going and not knowing when they would stop. Not knowing if the people on the other barges would be ok. Not knowing if they would be ok.
We learn they are tossed upon the waves, buried in the depths of the sea, encompassed about by many waters, driven forth by the wind that never ceased to blow! We find out this happens for 344 days!! Can you imagine being in the same confined space for that long? Without knowing where you are going. Without knowing when they would stop. Without knowing if the people on the other barges were ok... Without knowing if you were going to be ok..... All without seeing the light of day! Can you imagine making the tally marks counting the days? This is commending yourself unto God.
I'm going to back up a bit and take a glimpse at some of my own journal entries over the past 344 days...
December 20, 2015: I came across this scripture, Ether 6:4-- commend stood out to me. I loved that image of truly commending yourself to the Lord for 344 days feel like? Especially when you don't know it will end.
January 15, 2016: 26 days. Am I still as hopeful?
March 15, 2106: 85 days. Not even 1/2 way! They sung praises all the day long! When you don't know where it will end does your faith stop? Do you still sing praises unto Him?
April 30, 2016: 131 days. 1/3 way in (although they don't know that!) What does commending look like?
Integrity.
Consistent.
Confidence in the Lord.
July 10, 2016: 202 days. I’m under the water tonight being dashed hit with monsters. Feeling confused, hurt, angry frustrated, sad. Having trust completely letting go, submitting yourself to the will of the Lord, waiting on Him. Faith, complete faith-- with a confident, willing heart is hard.
October 7, 2016: 293 days. How much longer?!
November 28, 2016. 343 days. What if I gave up today?
Lessons Learned
So after I reached 344 days I asked myself some questions:
How did they do this? How did they commend themselves to the Lord? How did they have full confidence that the Lord would guide and protect them? How did they get on a boat and fully trust they would get off again to a better place. I decided to look back through the previous chapters to see if I could answer these questions.
He listens to the desires of our hearts
Ether 1:38--I love that these whole events stem from this verse. The Brother of Jared asked if the Lord wanted them to leave and if so where should they go and "who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth." Going to the promised land was a desire of theirs. The Lord wants to hear what is in our hearts. He wants to answer our desires. We but need to ask.
Remember-He's guided you once, He'll guide you again
Ether 2:5-7-- They go forth in the wilderness, places that no man had been. The Lord went before them and "did talk with them" and "gave directions whither they should travel." They "did build barges, in which they did cross many waters, being directed continually by the hand of the Lord." The Lord wanted the same desire and wanted to direct them to the "land of promise".
The Lord gave them experiences of traveling places they had never been, in barges many times. The 344 day journey was not their first rodeo. They had done it before. When in troubled waters remember the times He has guided you before.
Do—don’t get complacent
Ether 2:13-16--they pitch their tents next to a seashore for 4 years. Then the Lord come and chastised the Brother of Jared because "he remembers not to call upon the name of the Lord." I find it hard to believe that he stopped praying. Maybe he just got complacent with where they were. They had everything they wanted and needed right there. Did they think this was the promised land? Were they tired of traveling? Did they forget what their hearts desired?
So the Lord came and chastised him. I like to think He said something like “Hey, do you remember what you wanted? There is more…oh so much more for you! Don’t forget Me. Don’t forget your potential! Get to work! Lets go!”
They repented, got back on track and went back to work.
One of my favorite lessons here is how the Lord truly forgives. Its not until after this does The Brother of Jared see the face of God.
I believe they were able to commend themselves to the Lord because they were invested with their own desires, they knew the Lord would guide them and they were doers.
Gives me faith to be able to do the same.
So on Day 4, Day 200, Day 634, see the good, sing praises that He trusts you and me enough to want to bring us somewhere better. Because He has a beautiful plan. He listens to our desires, and He WILL guide us to them, so get to work. Do. His way is better than my way. I choose to "commend myself unto the Lord".
