"Consider the Lilies of the Field"

In recovery, after the scriptures had become alive for me (see Moses 6:61), and thereafter upon my first reading of the Sermon on the Mount, I received an unmistakable impression from the Spirit.

I was reading in Matthew when I came upon these verses:

"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

"And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

"Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (Matthew 6:28-30).

The Spirit directed me to two places. First, I remembered a drive in the mountains after returning from a camping trip. As we approached the summit of the canyon, there was an indescribable beauty. It was a lush, green meadow surrounded by majestic forest green pines. In the midst were beautiful flowers sprinkled about in resplendent purple, yellow, and white.

I've seen beautiful, manicured gardens, but this surpassed them all. Who planted such a landscape?

Then I received an impression to look at the chapters regarding the building of Solomon's Temple. I turned to 1 Kings, chapter 7, not knowing what I would find.

I read about the inner beauty of Solomon's Temple. It reads, "And upon the top of the pillars was lily work" (1 Kings 7:22). Then I read further about the molten sea, akin to modern baptismal fonts.

"And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies" (1 Kings 7:26).

Could the Savior be referring to lilies in Solomon's Temple when He said, "That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these?"

A while after this I learned about the original Greek word for raiment in the above verses.  The Greek word is enduma, related to the English word endowment. Could the Lord be referring to sacred clothing? You can click here to read more about this root word.

Then I thought of natural lilies and natural flowers. The beautiful carved images even in the temple would not compare with God's natural beauty. Later on, I read about the celestial world. John records, "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof (Revelation 21:22-23).

Then it all began to come together. If the temple is a pattern for the heavenly realm, it would mirror the ascent into the celestial world. If you think your brothers and sisters appear glorious and beautiful in the temple arrayed in white, can you imagine how they will appear in the light of His glory? Can you imagine if God can clothe the grass of the field, how He will clothe you in garments of light? Can you imagine the reflection of the faces of those standing in His presence as His countenance smiles upon them, and the light of His countenance shines upon them? (see 3 Nephi 19:25). 

The temple is a wonderful mirror to see into the heavenly world.