Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament we read about how the Lord called Jonah to go to Nineveh and cry repentance unto the people. But instead of obeying what the Lord, asked him to do, he decided to run away. He got on a ship heading toward Tarshish and sailed away, thinking he could escape from the Lord. How do we react when the Lord asks us to do something difficult, something we'd rather not do? Do we try our best to do it anyway, or do we try to run away like Jonah did? Jonah 1: 1-3 "Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord , and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord."

In the D&C we're told to strengthen our brethren, in all our conversations, prayers, exhortations, and doing. In other words, in all we say and do we need to be a strength to other people. And if we do this, the Lord will be with us and bless us forever. Look around you today. What can you do to be a strength to someone else? D&C 108: 7-8 "Therefore, strengthen your brethren in all your conversation, in all your prayers, in all your exhortations, and in all your doings. And behold, and lo, I am with you to bless you and deliver you forever. Amen."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us of Habakkuk's cry to the Lord, asking why his prayers don't seem to be answered. Have you ever felt that way? I have. The important thing to remember is that even if God's promised blessings don't seem to be coming, they WILL eventually come! We just need to be patient and trust in the Lord. And He will help us get through whatever circumstances come our way. The thought that went with this, written by Harvey Stob from Ann Arbor, Michigan says: Have you ever lost patience with God? The Old Testament prophet Habakkuk did. Habakkuk lived during a time of violence, war and death. God's people were suffering and it seemed that God wasn't doing anything about it. Habakkuk couldn't understand it. He knew that God was powerful and that God loved His people. They desperately needed God's help, but it wasn't coming. Habakkuk finally couldn't take it anymore. "How long, Lord," he cried. "How long must I call for help, but you do not listen?" God promised to rid this world of its violence, but the world is violent still. God promised to put an end to death, but we still get sick and our loved ones die. Jesus said, "I am coming soon!" But that was 2,000 years ago. How long are we to wait for those promises to come true? We pray for our sons and our daughters every day, but nothing seems to change. We pray for an end to poverty and disease, to famines and wars, but those horrors continue to plague us. How long are we to wait for God's promises to come true? Maybe a long time. God is patient with us; can we be patient with Him? We, along with Habakkuk, need to say, "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God, my Savior." Hab. 1: 2-4; 3: 16-18 "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."