Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that David had wanted to build a House of the Lord but the Lord told him that his son should build it instead. Solomon completed building the House of the Lord and put the ark of the covenant inside. 2 Chr. 6: 7-11 "Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel. But the Lord said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart: Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house; but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name. The Lord therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the name of the Lord God of Israel. And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord, that he made with the children of Israel."

In the D&C I read a verse that emphasizes the importance gratitude. In face, it states that if we receive all things with thankfulness, we'll be made glorious and all the things of the earth will be added to us a hundredfold. Indeed, if we're thankful for all things, we'll receive great blessings. Note that this says ALL things, not just good things. It's not so easy to be thankful for the trials and tribulations that come into our life, but they, too, are blessings in disguised. If we allow them to humble us instead of making us angry or bitter, they can strengthen us and help us become the people the Lord wants us to be. We need to be thankful for this too. D&C 78: 19 "And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that we're to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls and might. We need to put Him first in our lives. We may not think we worship idols like ancient people do because we don't have graven images that we bow down to, but if we place more importance on any person or thing than we do the Lord, they become like an idol to us. Are we so busy playing video games that we don't have time to read the scriptures? Are we so busy watching TV we don't have time to pray? Are we so caught up in the things of the world that we don't take time to serve our fellowmen? Anything that we put as a higher priority in our lives than the things of the Lord is our own personal "idol." We need to make sure the Lord comes first in our lives and that we love him with all our heart. Deut. 6: 5 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
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