Daily Thoughts

In the D&C we read that in order for a person to profit from a gift they need to receive that gift.  Are we willing to receive the gifts the Lord has offered us, and rejoice in Him for giving them to us?  D&C 88:33 "For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift."

In the Old Testament we read that the vengeance of the Lord would fall upon wicked nations. Those who are evil will suffer the rebuke of the Lord.  Ezekiel 25:13-17 "Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword. And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God. Thus saith the Lord God; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred; Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast. And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them."

Some verses with a thought booklet are familiar ones we've all probably heard before.  In fact, I remember a song quoting these verses that was popular back when I was a teenager, "Turn, Turn, Turn."  It talks about how there is a time for everything, a season for every purpose under heaven.  Sometimes it's the right time to speak. Other times it's the right time to be silent.  Sometimes it's the time to plant; other times is time to reap what we've planted.  There's a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to rend and a time to sew.  This is the way life is.  When we're young it might our season for going to school and learning. Later on it may be our season for marriage and raising a family, for careers and church callings.  In our older years and perhaps with failing health, we have different but still important things to do, perhaps just serving as a listening ear to a troubled person or praying for those in need.  Perhaps we have lessons of wisdom to pass on to children and grandchildren. Perhaps we need to provide opportunities for others to grow through serving us. No matter what our age or stage in life, we still have a purpose (if we didn't, the Lord would have already taken us home to Him).  Our job is to be in tune to figure out what it is He wants us to do and then go forth and do it.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 " To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."