Daily Thoughts

In the D&C we read that if we'll forgive others their trespasses against us, we'll be forgiven by the Lord.  D&C 82:1 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, my servants, that inasmuch as you have forgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you."

In the Old Testament we read about how judgment will come upon the people because of their abominations.  The Lord will not pity nor spare them but will recompense them for all the evil that they have done.  Just because the Lord is loving and merciful, that does not mean that He will save the unrepentant and spare them their deserved punishments if they refuse to change their wicked ways and hearken unto Him.  The Lord will forgive us if we repent, but if we persist in our rebellion, we will indeed have to someday suffer the consequences of our actions.  Ezekiel 7:1-5 "Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord God unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land. Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense upon thee all thine abominations.  And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God; An evil, an only evil, behold, is come."

In some verses with a thought booklet we're reminded to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and the other things we need will be added unto us.  If we keep our priorities right, the Lord will bless us with what we need.  We're also reminded that we should not worry unduly about what tomorrow will bring.  We have enough concerns today to worry about without worrying about what may or may not happen tomorrow.  Sometimes we allow worry about the future to crowd out the joys of today.  The story is told of a man who was just about to be released from prison after nine years.  He was worried about who would hire him as an aging ex-con in a bad economy.  Where would he live?  Would he be able to afford food?  Could he buy a car?  While thinking these thoughts one of his fellow inmates shouted out, "Boy, I sure wish I was in your shoes!"  Suddenly he realized what a great blessing it was to be regaining his freedom and felt bad he was allowing the joy of that to be crowded out with all his worry.  I think all of us often do the same thing.  We're so worried about aspects of the future we're uncertain about that we fail to appreciate all the joys and blessings that surround us.  Matthew 6:33-34 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."