Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Jacob prophesied that many of his descendants would perish because of unbelief, but He would be merciful unto those who would come to a knowledge of their Redeemer.  2 Nephi 10:1-2 "And now I, Jacob, speak unto you again, my beloved brethren, concerning this righteous branch of which I have spoken. For behold, the promises which we have obtained are promises unto us according to the flesh; wherefore, as it has been shown unto me that many of our children shall perish in the flesh because of unbelief, nevertheless, God will be merciful unto many; and our children shall be restored, that they may come to that which will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer."

Yesterday in the Old Testament we read about how the Lord called Gideon to deliver Israel.  But Gideon needed convincing so he insisted on the Lord showing him signs.  First he put a fleece of wool in the floor and wanted the Lord to be dew on the fleece only but it to be dry on the ground around it.  That happened, but Gideon still was not convinced so he then wanted dew on the ground but dry on the fleece.  So the Lord did that too. We might think Gideon was pretty silly for insisting on signs when he'd already been visited by an angel of the Lord.  But sometimes we're told by God to do something but then we start convincing ourselves that maybe it was our imagination. We start doubting what we already know.  We need to show more faith in the Lord.  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." 

In contrast to this, some verses with a thought booklet show that when Jesus called Peter and Andrew to come follow Him, they immediately left their nets and followed Him. Likewise James and John who were with their father mending their nets left their father and the nets when they were called and followed Jesus. They did not ask for signs first. This gives us a good example of how to need to answer a call.  Matthew 4:18-22 "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.  And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him."