Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read of Nephi's willingness to go get the brass plates, saying he knew that if the Lord commands us to do something, He'll prepare the way that we might accomplish it.  However, Lama and Lemuel murmured and complained, saying it was a hard thing they'd been asked to do. Nephi made his father happy.   1 Nephi 3:5-8 "And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.  Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured.  And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.  And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord."

In the Old Testament we read that the Lord told Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their grievous sins.  Abraham asked the Lord if He was willing to destroy the righteous with the wicked and would He spare the city if 50 righteous could be found there.  The Lord said he'd spare the city for the sake f the 50 righteous.  Then Abraham asked him what he'd do for 40, 30, 20 and even 10 righteous, and the Lord likewise said he would spare the city for their sakes.  Genesis 18:20-32 "And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.  And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.  And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that we're all going to eventually die.  The days of our lives are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Once a day in our life is over, it's gone.  How are we going to spend our precious time on this earth?  Are we going to spend it loving and serving others (like we read yesterday) and trying to make a difference in other people's lives, or are we going to waste it watching TV or playing video games?  The choice is ours, but once a precious minute of our lives is gone, we won't be able to retrieve it, any more than we can gather up water we've spilled on the ground. 2 Samuel 14:14 "For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him."