Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that the words of the Lord were fulfilled regarding Nephi's brothers.  He had been their teacher and ruler, according to the commandments of the Lord, until the time when they sought to take away his life. But the Lord said that once they refused to hearken to his words, they would be cut off from the presence of the Lord. After they hardened their hearts against the Lord, He cursed them. They became in idle people, full of mischief.  2 Nephi 5:19-25 "And behold, the words of the Lord had been fulfilled unto my brethren, which he spake concerning them, that I should be their ruler and their teacher. Wherefore, I had been their ruler and their teacher, according to the commandments of the Lord, until the time they sought to take away my life. Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake unto me, saying that: Inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy words they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And behold, they were cut off from his presence.  And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them. And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities.  And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed; for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing. And the Lord spake it, and it was done. And because of their cursing which was upon them they did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey.  And the Lord God said unto me: They shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in remembrance of me; and inasmuch as they will not remember me, and hearken unto my words, they shall scourge them even unto destruction."

In the Old Testament we read that the Lord is angry and displeased when we forget the God who created us.  He will hide His face from those who are not mindful of Him.  Deuteronomy 32:18-20 "Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.  And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith."

In some scriptures with a thought booklet we read David's pleadings with the Lord to cleanse him from his sins and create in him a clean heart.  Indeed, if we're willing to repent, the Lord can renew in us a right spirit and restore to us the joy of our salvation. These scriptures give us guidance and hope as we struggle with the weight of our sins.  We can be clean again! Because of the Atonement of Christ, we can be forgiven and become whiter than snow.  Psalms 51:7-12 "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit."