Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read about the false teachings of Korihor, who claimed that those who believed in God were foolish and that those who tried to keep the commandments were in bondage. People teach similar things today.  Alma 30:22-28 "And it came to pass that the high priest said unto him: Why do ye go about perverting the ways of the Lord? Why do ye teach this people that there shall be no Christ, to interrupt their rejoicings? Why do ye speak against all the prophecies of the holy prophets? Now the high priest's name was Giddonah. And Korihor said unto him: Because I do not teach the foolish traditions of your fathers, and because I do not teach this people to bind themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances which are laid down by ancient priests, to usurp power and authority over them, to keep them in ignorance, that they may not lift up their heads, but be brought down according to thy words. Ye say that this people is a free people. Behold, I say they are in bondage. Ye say that those ancient prophecies are true. Behold, I say that ye do not know that they are true. Ye say that this people is a guilty and a fallen people, because of the transgression of a parent. Behold, I say that a child is not guilty because of its parents. And ye also say that Christ shall come. But behold, I say that ye do not know that there shall be a Christ. And ye say also that he shall be slain for the sins of the world— And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires; and ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges. Yea, they durst not make use of that which is their own lest they should offend their priests, who do yoke them according to their desires, and have brought them to believe, by their traditions and their dreams and their whims and their visions and their pretended mysteries, that they should, if they did not do according to their words, offend some unknown being, who they say is God—a being who never has been seen or known, who never was nor ever will be."

In the Old Testament I read that because the children of Isreal were discouraged from being willing to go and possess the land the Lord had given to them, the Lord was angry with them and made them wander in the wilderness for 40 years until everyone over the age of 20 had died off, except for Joshua and Caleb who wholly followed the Lord.  When the Lord commands us to do something, even though it seems difficult or impossible to accomplish, He will be with us and help us do it.  But if we become discouraged and don't even want to try, He is displeased with us.  Numbers 32:7-13 "And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land. For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. And the LORD'S anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD. And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that the Lord blessed the children of Israel in all the work of their hands and watched over their journey in the wilderness.  For forty years He was with them and they lacked nothing.  So likewise does He sustain us on our spiritual journey through life as we travel toward eternal life.  When we're weary, we have a resting place in Him.  We can feed on His Word when we're hungry.  He even provides us with little tender mercies along the way to show us His love.  When we place serving Him as our first priority, He provides for our needs.  He provides us provision and protection as we journey toward our heavenly reward.  Deuteronomy 2:7 "For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing."