Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read that the king signed a decree that anyone who asked a petition of anyone except the king would be cast into a den of lions. However, Daniel did not let that decree keep him from praying the way he usually did. The king was very upset when people came to him and insisted that Daniel had to be cast into a den of lions, but there was no way to change a decree once signed. Daniel 5:7-15 "The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied. Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:"

In the D&C we're told that the resurrection is the redemption of the soul, which is the spirit and the body being united together. This is made possible through the atonement of Jesus Christ. D&C 88: 14-17 "Now, verily I say unto you, that through the redemption which is made for you is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead. And the spirit and the body are the soul of man. And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul. And the redemption of the soul is through him that quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it."

A verse from a thought booklet reminds us to devote ourselves to prayer, with thanksgiving. The story is told of a lady who was stopped by a policeman for not stopping at a stop sign. Apparently she'd done a "rolling stop" which can be dangerous as well as warrenting a traffic ticket. The officer told her he could tell she'd thought about stopping, but never actually did. Are our prayers sometimes like that? Do we actually stop to pray, giving it all our attention? Or do we do a "rolling stop" as we hurredly utter a few words and then rush on about our day, distracted by the world around us? Let's remember to not only slow down, but actually stop to focus on God and give Him our full attention. Col. 4: 2 "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;"

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