Ether 2: 17 And they were built after a manner that they were exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish; and the ends thereof were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut, was tight like unto a dish.
After reading this chapter, I sat down to a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios, and wondered if my bowl had any weaknesses that would allow my milk to slip out. If that had been the case, my cereal eating experience would have been ruined, for cereal without milk is just not the same! In my mind, milk brings the whole cereal-eating experience to its full potential. With this said, the Lord wanted to bring Israel into the promised land where they can live with spiritual milk and honey and reach their full potential. The Lord wanted them to understand how sweet and delightful the journey of life is, if they would prepare themselves to be tight-like-a-dish. The promise land promised a life were God could dwell with them, and there would be no hunger and thirst spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. Dwelling with God is a place perfectly aligned with the all powerful, all knowing, and all loving Father. Once there are holes in our convictions-morally or spiritually, God can’t dwell any longer, leaving us in a state of no spiritual milk or honey. Only it’s worse because without his protection, and left to our own-natural man-ways, destruction is only a matter of time. We absolutely require God’s protection, guidance, wisdom, kindness, understanding, compassion, and love. “Those ancient inhabitants were destroyed by the hand of the Lord.” (Ether 1:1) So we must, like the Jaredites, build barges (ourselves, our families, and our homes) to be tight like a dish.
As we “prepare a vessel” (Ether 2:2), ourselves and our homes. (Let’s focus on ourselves first, and that will radiate to our homes.) We need the Lord in this process, because he understands the storms of the sea that we will face in our lives, as well as the pressure of the waves that will beat upon us. “Cry unto the Lord”, plead for assistance, direction and protection. (Ether 1:34,35,36,37,38,39) “Inquire of the Lord”, he will walk beside us all along the way if we invite him. “There I will meet thee, and so will go before thee into a land which is choice above all the lands of the earth.” (Ether 1:42) “The Lord did go before them and did talk with them.” (Ether 2:5) “Directed continually by the hand of the Lord.” (Ether 2:6)
This wasn’t easy to prepare these barges! Additionally, the Jaredites didn’t know where the Lord was taking them, and they had never crossed these waters and had never been in these barges. It was all new to them, and I’m sure it was scary. There was work to be done, lots of work. “Gathered together, male and female, of every kind.” (Ether 2:1) “Lay snares and catch fowls of the air.” “Carry with them swarms of bees….seeds of every kind.” (Ether 2:3) “Go forth into the wilderness, yea unto the quarters where there never had man been.” (Ether 2:5) “Cross many waters, being directed continually by the hands of the Lord.” (Ether 2:6) The Lord requires us today to work hard to prepare ourselves to be tight like a dish. Our work looks different, but is equally vital for our survival of our storms of life. Our preparations include gathering love, kindness, faith, trust, patience, understanding, and many more attributes of Christ that will gets us through the toughest storms.
As we speak of these characteristics that are essential for our survival of the attacks Satan has devised for our day, we need to see these as the effort to find light and air in our barges. As we work on our relationship with a Christ, and focus on personal revelation and responding to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we will be able to shine for others, “Touch these stones, O Lord with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness.” (Ether 3:4) In order to be prepared to shine forth during the darkness of life it will take work, “Went forth unto the mount, which they called Shelem, because of its exceeding height and did molten our of rock sixteen small stones.” (Ether 3:1) We must rise above the world and do everything in our power to purify and strengthen our Christ like attributes, which could include, patience, kindness, gentleness, humility, forgiveness, trust in God, faith, obedience, long-suffering, steadfastness, enduring, prayerful, attentive, focused, selfless, and different. (That’s 16! Preach My Gospel chapter 6 will help us look for Christ like attributes to work in.)
Ether 3:14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.
As we prepare to be tight like a dish—not letting the waters of discouragement, doubt, anger, worldliness, or unbelief deep into our lives, we need to remember all that the Lord has given us with his “All power” (Ether 3:4) and “come unto Him” with a “broken heart and a contrite spirit,” “exercise faith” in Him, and “walk humbly before the Lord.” (Ether 4:7,13,15, 6:17)
“Spiritual security will always depend upon how one lives, not where one lives. Saints in every land have equal claim upon the blessings of the Lord.” -Russell M. Nelson October 2006
-Written by Sherri Jorgensen
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