Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read about how David sinned by numbering Israel. I remember reading this as a teenager and thinking it was strange that counting the people would be considered a sin. Wasn't that just like taking a census? But it showed a lack of faith in the Lord. With the Lord on their side, they could prevail against their enemies no matter how few in number they were. But David was seeking reassurance that he could defeat his enemies according to how many soldiers he had to fight them. If he truly trusted in the Lord, those numbers wouldn't make any difference. 1 Chr. 21: 1-5 "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a athousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword."

In the D&C I read that if we repent of our sins the Lord will remember them no more. And a way to tell if a man has repented is that he will confess and forsake his sins. D&C 58: 42-43 "Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more. By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that we were once dead in sins and trespasses, but Christ has quickened us, even though we once walked according to the lusts of the flesh and did what Satan wanted us to do. Eph. 2: 1-3 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."


---------------------------------