Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read that Nephi stretched forth his hand and shocked his brothers so that would know that the Lord was with Nephi and that what he was telling them was the truth. Isn't it sad that their hearts were so hard that it took something like this to convince them? 1 Ne. 17: 53-55 "And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thine hand again unto thy brethren, and they shall not wither before thee, but I will shock them, saith the Lord, and this will I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God. And it came to pass that I stretched forth my hand unto my brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did shake them, even according to the word which he had spoken. And now, they said: We know of a surety that the Lord is with thee, for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has shaken us. And they fell down before me, and were about to worship me, but I would not suffer them, saying: I am thy brother, yea, even thy younger brother; wherefore, worship the Lord thy God, and honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee."

In the New Testament we read that God doesn't hear sinners, but rather listens to the prayers of those who worship Him. If we do what's right, Heavenly Father will hear and answer our prayers in the way that's best for us. John 9:31 "Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth."

A verse with a thought booklet talks about our souls longing for God the way a hart pants after water brooks. Does a thirsty animal seek after water? Look for it until he finds it? How intent are we at seeking after God? Do we persist until we find Him, as if our very lives depended on it? Indeed, our spiritual lives do depend on it. Psalms 42:1 "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God."
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