Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read the words of Isaiah which Jacob quoted and said to liken them unto them. They who wait for the Lord will not be ashamed. Jacob taught that those who remained in Jerusalem where they came from had been slain or carried away captive. He also prophesied that the Holy One of Israel would manifest Himself unto them in the flesh, but they would scourge and crucify Him. After they hardened their hearts against the Holy One of Israel, the judgments of God would come upon them and they would be driven to and fro and afflicted. However, the Lord would be merciful unto them in that when they would come to a knowledge of their Redeemer, they would be gathered together again in the lands of their inheritance.  2 Nephi 6:6-11 "And now, these are the words: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.  And now I, Jacob, would speak somewhat concerning these words. For behold, the Lord has shown me that those who were at Jerusalem, from whence we came, have been slain and carried away captive. Nevertheless, the Lord has shown unto me that they should return again. And he also has shown unto me that the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, should manifest himself unto them in the flesh; and after he should manifest himself they should scourge him and crucify him, according to the words of the angel who spake it unto me.  And after they have hardened their hearts and stiffened their necks against the Holy One of Israel, behold, the judgments of the Holy One of Israel shall come upon them. And the day cometh that they shall be smitten and afflicted. Wherefore, after they are driven to and fro, for thus saith the angel, many shall be afflicted in the flesh, and shall not be suffered to perish, because of the prayers of the faithful; they shall be scattered, and smitten, and hated; nevertheless, the Lord will be merciful unto them, that when they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered together again to the lands of their inheritance."

In the Old Testament we read that after the death of Moses, the Lord spoke to Joshua, telling him that the promised land would be given to the people.  He should be strong and of good courage, and keep the commandments of the Lord, meditating upon them day and night. The Lord would be with Joshua just as He was with Moses and would not forsake him or fail him.  Joshua 1:1-9 "Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,  Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.  Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.  From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.  Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.  Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

Some verses with a thought booklet remind us of the wisdom of the Lord.  We can trust in His knowledge and understanding.  But do we?  What about when we repeatedly pray for something we don't receive?  Do we trust that God knows what He's doing when He answers "No" or do we continue to beg and plead, thinking we know what's best for us?  A father took his family to a company picnic by a lake.  A co-worker offered to take his children on a speedboat ride, but the father firmly said "No" because he knew the pilot of the boat had consumed too much alcohol and didn't feel his children would be safe.  They begged, they pleaded, but he still said no.  The children didn't understand that the reason their father denied their request was out of love and concern for them. When God denies our requests, it is likewise out of love and concern and we need to trust that He knows better than we do what is for our best good.  We need to trust in Him and His infinite wisdom.  Proverbs 2:6-7 "For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly."