Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea

 (Originally scheduled for 12 February 2024)

I was reading in my off-schedule trip through the Book of Mormon (in other words, the trip I started before this year's scheduled reading) in Ether where the brother of Jared is conversing with the Lord about the conditions of their travel across the ocean. And just as sometimes happens, someone slipped a scripture in which I had never considered before.

24 For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth.

25 And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come.

Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea. What great faith it must have taken for this group of people who (unlike some of us) had never traveled across an ocean before and thus had never had confirmed to them that there was even anything waiting beyond their line of sight.

Our sight is often also extremely limited in spiritual things. As President Nelson observed, we tend to be a bit myopic and cannot see afar off. 

Should we not trust this God of ours, who has prepared all things in advance—the winds and the rains and the floods. All so frightening to us as we inch forward through this mortal journey. 

Nevertheless, I [the author of the Plan, the designer of all created things]—I will bring you up again —out of whatever terrifying situation besets us as we wander in the dark side of understanding. 

Eventually, all will be made clear and we will see why it was required of us to pass through the valley of faith so we would recognize our Master’s voice.