In the Book of Mormon I read the contrast between the wicked king Amalickiah and Moroni. Amalickiah was very angry that he had not succeeded in his desires to overpower the Nephites and bring them into bondage. He swore in his wrath that he would drink the blood of Moroni. Moroni, on the other hand, had kept the commandments of God and had prepared for the safety of his people. When they were delivered from the hands of their enemies, they thanked God for His blessings upon them. Alma 49:25-28 "And it came to pass, that when the Lamanites saw that their chief captains were all slain they fled into the wilderness. And it came to pass that they returned to the land of Nephi, to inform their king, Amalickiah, who was a Nephite by birth, concerning their great loss. And it came to pass that he was exceedingly angry with his people, because he had not obtained his desire over the Nephites; he had not subjected them to the yoke of bondage. Yea, he was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood; and this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing for the safety of his people. And it came to pass, that on the other hand, the people of Nephi did thank the Lord their God, because of his matchless power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies."
In the Old Testament I read about how Gideon doubted, even after the Lord told Him He would be with him and help him save Israel by his hand. He wanted a sign. He asked the Lord to make dew fall upon a fleece of wool on the floor but the earth beside it to stay dry. So the Lord did that. But was that convincing enough for Gideon? No! Then he asked the Lord to make dew come upon the ground but for the fleece to stay dry. The Lord did that too. How often are we like this? The Lord tells us something but we doubt. And even if we're given a sign that it really was the Lord telling us, we want another sign. Judges 6:36-40 "And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground."
A verse with a thought booklet tells us that we can rejoice and be glad all our days because we are satisfied with the mercy of the Lord. The Lord has richly blessed all of us. We all have much to be grateful for. If we can be satisfied with what we have, we will indeed find joy all the days of our lives. Psalms 90:14 "O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days."
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