Psalms 147:3-5 -- On Naming the Stars

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite."
Psalms 147:3-5


I like this because it seems like the part about the stars is there to convince us that he can heal us. :)  It's kind of like in the New Testament where Christ asks which is easier, "to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?" (Luke 5:23, Matthew 9:5, Mark 2:9).  He shows that he can forgive sins by doing something easier... healing someone physically. :)  Here, we learn that God knows how many stars there are and knows them all by name.  That's super impressive... but MORE impressive, and harder for us to believe sometimes, he can heal our broken hearts.

Today, let's remember that the Lord is great, and his understanding is infinite.  He can count and name all the stars... and most importantly, he can heal us.  So let's trust that, and go to him, and learn how. :)

1 Nephi 8:21-25 -- On Not Being Ashamed of God

"And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.
And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.
And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.
And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.
And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed."
1 Nephi 8:21-25


This is the chapter where we first learn about Lehi's dream.  What struck me today was how so many people wanted to get to the tree of life / heaven and partake of the love of God, but everyone gets distracted and falls away... significantly even the ones that held to the rod of iron.  "And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost" (verse 28).

The symbolism in the dream is amazing, and there are a lot of things to learn here, including holding to the rod of iron, which represents the word of God (scriptures, prayer, prophecy)... but the thing I wanted to focus on today was on not being ashamed.  Once we have tasted of the love of God and know how awesome that is, let's not let people ruin it for us by listening to their taunts and misguided advice.  God is better than any and all of that.  Reality is what is between us and God and that relationship, and anything that pulls us away from God is part of the problem.

Today, let's read over Lehi's dream and learn from it... great stuff there.  And let's be sure that we're not listening to the scorners that mock our relationship with God, because they are truly not worth listening to.

Psalms 41:4 -- On Protecting Our Souls From Harm

"I said, Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee."
Psalms 41:4


This verse struck me today because I think it reflects a truth that we don't always acknowledge.  We usually think about sin just as rulebreaking, and often consider the laws of God to be some arbitrary standards that we may or may not agree with.  ... But God's commandments are not arbitrary. 

Just like a human parent would enforce a rule about not playing in the street, the laws of God are there to keep us from harming our own souls.  We can't always see the reasons behind them yet, but as we grow and learn, we will come to understand the reason behind every commandment.

Today, let's remember that God does everything that he does in order to help us, and work on having more faith in his motivations and guidance. :)  If we don't understand something, let's not be the child that plays in the street just because the rule seems silly.  Let's honor God enough to follow the rule anyway for now, and talk to him about it, and learn more, trusting that he will help us understand.  In doing so, we will be protecting our own souls from harm, for that is what God always intends.

3 Nephi 27:33 -- On the Narrow Way

"And it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he said unto his disciples: Enter ye in at the strait gate; for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it; but wide is the gate, and broad the way which leads to death, and many there be that travel therein, until the night cometh, wherein no man can work."
3 Nephi 27:33


The idea of the strait gate and narrow way is an important one, helping us understand that is it important to be vigilant, and that there are many wrong paths to choose, veering off towards death/hell, but we want the one path to life/heaven.  Part of the idea here is that walking with God isn't going to be easy.  It's going to require change and growth and there is going to be discomfort and pain along the way.  The wide path is often much easier... it just doesn't lead us where we want to go.

I think sometimes we get it into our heads that a narrow path means that we all have to be cookie cutter saints in order to walk it, but God invites everyone to walk it.  We don't have to be clones to come unto Christ.  We just have to walk the path, and even though God teaches all of us the same things, like faith, hope, love... we are all going to learn those lessons a little bit differently, often in a different order, and we're all going to have varying experiences and degrees of success along the way, because God is teaching us individually.

Today, let's remember that the way is narrow, but the variety of people walking it is not.  All are alike unto God (2 Nephi 26:33), and welcome.  Including me, including you.  All of us.  No matter how far outside the mainstream we think we are, God invites us to come unto him.  He loves us, and he has his arms outstretched to save us, if we are willing to walk his path to find shelter.  Let's accept his invitation, and stay the course.

2 Corinthians 7:1 -- On Promises and Perfection

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
2 Corinthians 7:1


The promises spoken of here I am guessing are the ones that are in the verses before this at the end of chapter 6: "... I will receive you, / And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

The promise of becoming part of God's family is an amazing one, and has outrageous amounts of potential and possibility for us... and that is what we are asked to consider as we enter into chapter 7.

Here, we are asked to cleanse ourselves from the filthiness of the flesh and spirit, which is interesting because we often think of the division between the two as good (spirit) and bad (flesh), and that the only reason we have any problems is that we have bodies.  Clearly though, as we learn even from the war in heaven, that is not the case.  There are, unfortunately, a myriad of ways that we can be filthy, both internally (spiritually), and externally (physically).

I think humility is the key here, as it is in so many other areas.  We have to trust in God's law and his instruction in the gospel to help us know the boundaries of our own behavior, and learn of him the reasons why as we go... because frankly we just can't trust ourselves (or society) to judge what is right all the time.  As we learn more and understand more, we'll do better, but until then, trusting that our desires are good and a part of who we are gets us into unbelievable trouble, as we start putting our own interpretations before God's laws.  ... And this is true despite society's view of unacceptable or frequently-accepted sins.  For instance, God says that fornication *and* racism are both sins, but society has been quite tolerant of one or the other throughout history.

I think that idea of putting God's opinions before our own is what is meant by the fear of or the profound respect for God.  When we recognize who God is, and we understand that we are working under the promise of being part of his family, that can change our perspective.  We understand that God doesn't want to be a boss or an overseer, but that he wants to help us as a father, and on our side we are entering into the agreement as children, recognizing that we need guidance and instruction, but that being part of that relationship and that family means that someday we will be able to be much better and stronger (and less filthy) than we are now. :)

Today, let's work on "perfecting holiness" by cleaning out the dirt and cobwebs in our spirits as well as our bodies.  Let's trust God in a real way by valuing his opinion above our own, and learn from him as we work toward being worthy members of God's family.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 -- On Becoming Wise Unto Salvation

"But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
2 Timothy 3:14-15


I love the idea here that the scriptures are able to make us "wise unto salvation."  Faith is the key here, and although the word faith sometimes seems ethereal and hard to grasp, I think in this case it is pretty solid.  If we want to become wise unto salvation we have to have the faith to read our scriptures, learning in them about God throughout all of history, but specifically learning about Christ, which all the scriptures teach of.

Today, if we don't already have a scripture habit, then let's start one.  Even one verse a day will get us on the path, although of course, more reading = more learning, and likely more wisdom unto salvation, so better to get in a little more where we can. :)

And if we do have the habit, let's find a way to improve, perhaps reading a little more, or just reading in a better environment where it is easier to focus.  If we can't find that kind of environment sometimes repetition helps... reading the same verse a few times and then trying to rephrase it to apply it to ourselves personally.  If we find a really good verse that inspires us, why not print it out and display it somewhere so that we don't forget? :)  Let's do whatever it takes to move towards that essential wisdom. :)

Philippians 4:6-8 -- On Peace

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Philippians 4:6-8


Some great stuff here.  The first part is basically telling us not to be overly concerned about anything, but to take it all to God, who can sort it out, and with things in God's hands we will find peace.

The last verse I think is part of this idea of finding peace, and Paul suggests here that we think about some good things.  We could definitely get deeper into what those things are, but what struck me today is just the overall idea that one of the ways to peace is to focus on the good... and that seems so totally opposite what we often do in our lives, instead worrying about everything, and thinking about all of the stressors in our lives rather than finding the good things all around us.  I think following his counsel is a good idea.  It's not blinding ourselves to reality... it's just focusing on the part of reality that we haven't been paying attention to. :) 

Today, let's actively seek peace by focusing on the good rather than inviting the bad to come and stay in our hearts and our minds.  Let's work on not letting stress drive us, but instead do what we can and then ask God for the things we need, trusting that things will happen according to his will.  As we learn to trust God more and more, the more we'll come to notice his amazing blessings in our lives, and the more we will find peace.

Proverbs 9:8-9 -- On Reproof and Instruction

"Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning."
Proverbs 9:8-9


This is an interesting idea, that it is pointless to correct someone who won't listen and will just get angry, but if you take the time to instruct the wise, then they will learn.  I'm guessing a lot of it is in the way that it is presented as well, but the idea that it is up to us whether to actually learn something from our interactions seems like the key here.

I definitely don't think that this means we should go tell everyone what they are doing wrong.  As it says, we'll drum up a lot of anger... and also, it is usually wise to look at ourselves before we try to correct anyone else, to make sure we aren't like the men in the story about the woman taken in adultery, having to walk away because they were also guilty.

Today, let's focus on learning from the things that we get wrong, rather than getting angry.  Let's think more than we talk and clean up our own lives before we try to help others clean up theirs. :)

Isaiah 30:15 -- On Returning and Quietness

"For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not."
Isaiah 30:15


I've written about this verse several times, but nevertheless, this is what stood out to me today, and I think it is because James 1:4 is still on my mind from writing about it the other day... the whole letting patience make us whole idea was powerful for me, and I have been thinking about how to apply it better in my life.

So, in reading this, it made me think of that, and of our bias towards drama.  God tells us how to be saved, but it isn't satisfying enough for us.  We want lightning bolts from the sky, or something that demands our attention rather than the everyday relationship with God and the small, righteous steps that keep us out of some pretty dramatic danger. :)  We seem to hunger for histrionics, and we want to skip through the boring parts of the plot and just watch the highlights reel.  As a former coworker explained to me about movies, "if something doesn't blow up in the first 15 minutes" then it's worthless. :)

And hey, I like a good explosion myself... but God seems to be telling us here that our overdramatization, panic, and impatience in our real lives are doing us more harm than good.  God doesn't want us to go Vulcan and renounce all emotion, but neither does he want us to let it rule our lives.  We are supposed to learn to have joy in our lives, and that requires feeling contrasting things and learning what makes us happy... but sometimes we confuse happiness with excitement, and think that adrenaline is really what makes us happy, and so we have roller coaster lives rather than truly happy ones. ... Don't read that as though I just said happiness is boring though... I don't think that at all.  We just don't have to be adrenaline junkies to be happy. :)

Today, let's listen to God and remember the quietness and peace of the temple, or even the chapel.  Let's make space in our lives to be able to feel the spirit and to build our relationship with God, rather than waiting for God to give us a super-dramatic conversion experience each week so we don't lose interest.  Instead, let's continue to convert ourselves through practicing the gospel, and having faith and confidence in the Lord.  "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass" (Alma 37:6), right?  The dramatic football plays only come after years of practice... and miracles happen in our lives when we put in the time and the faith and the confidence and the patience that it takes to notice and appreciate them.  Let's be like the prodigal son and return to our father, realizing that we need peace and security a lot more than we need riotous living. :)

Mark 9:43 -- On Hands and Hell

"And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:"
Mark 9:43


Another big perspective switch scripture, this one reminds us that spirit always trumps flesh.  Our bodies can be renewed, and priority should be placed upon the eternal state of the soul.

That said, of course, our bodies aren't worthless, and maiming ourselves is probably not the ideal way to overcome our temptations, although I think the dramatic twist of offering that as an alternative gets the point across that we shouldn't be using our bodies as excuses to sin.  A better alternative is pleading with God to change our hearts, which he can help us with through our faith and repentance (Mosiah 5:2, Helaman 15:7), and in some cases getting outside help with an addiction that we feel unable to control.

Today, let's really work on getting our minds shifted into the idea that our bodies are never excuses for sin.  Yes, our bodies naturally have desires and tendencies, but the spirit should be ruling those, finding righteous ways to satisfy our desires, or working with God on changing our hearts so that we have "no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually" (Mosiah 5:2).

Instead of giving in to to the world's view that we have no ability to change, let's look to God, and work with him to take care of our souls first, denying our bodies in every case where that desire conflicts with God.  As we do, the Lord will bless us with much, much better lives than we could have otherwise, and clearly better eternities as well. :)

Psalms 56:4 -- On Trust and Fear

"In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me."
Psalms 56:4


This idea of not fearing what flesh/humanity can do to us is a hard one to get our minds around I think... it is a whole different mind-set from where we usually are, where what people can do to us matters to us a lot.

So, how do we pull ourselves out of that mindset and gain a little bit more godly perspective?  I think mainly practice.  We have to trust God, then see how that works out, and learn to trust him more and more as we exercise our faith and keep trying.  And, of course, prayer is probably the way that we work up the courage to trust in the first place.  That connection that we feel when we are in communion with God helps us to know that we are safe and loved and that he will help us.

Today, let's try to take a step back and see that God is over everything, and that is where the real power lies. :)  Let's let go of our fear of lesser things and remember that being on the same page with God is going to help us in every other aspect of our lives.  If we're going to worry, let's worry about not being on the same page with God, and our tendency to self-sabotage, rather than what other people will do. :)

Psalms 3:2-3 -- On Lifting Up Heads and Hearts

"Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head."
Psalms 3:2-3


I love the idea here that God is a shield for us and that he lifts up our heads when we are discouraged.

I think we all have times when other people seem like enemies... or even when we ourselves are our own enemies, and (whether prompted or not), we actually believe that there is no help for us.

God can be a shield for us, even against our own self-criticism, if we trust him and turn to him.  Part of God being God means that he knows who we are better than our detractors, and better than ourselves... it is HIS view that counts, and he finds value in who we are, and encourages and lifts us to greater heights and to fulfil more and more of our potential.

Today, let's first of all not be soul detractors.  Let's never say that anyone's situation is hopeless, and let's never think that about ourselves.  And let's remember that faith also rises above our own opinions and encourages us to see things from God's perspective, who knows that all of us are valuable, and worthy of saving and sacrifice.  Let's work on accepting that reality and on lifting others' spirits, and our own perspectives, to a higher and holier place.

1 Peter 4:13 -- On Suffering and Joy

"But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."
1 Peter 4:13


This is a big theme in the scriptures... that after the trials come the blessings, after the hardships comes the joy... and a permanent kind of joy as well. :)

Let's remember also though that "he that is happy shall be happy still" (Mormon 9:14) in the resurrection.  Suffering is going to happen, but let's not ever give up and just accept that as the norm. :)  God is all about joy and hope, and wants us to be happy.  In some ways going through the hard times helps us to understand and appreciate the joy, and how to have joy, as well, so we're learning and growing and (if we're making some good choices) improving through all of it.

Today, let's rejoice in anticipation of the permanent joy that we are headed for, and have patience in our sufferings, knowing that "all things work together for good to them that love God" (Romans 8:28). :)

Mosiah 4:6-7 -- On Knowledge of the Goodness of God

"I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body—
I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation, through the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world."
Mosiah 4:6-7


I like how it lists some of the qualities of God here: goodness, power, wisdom, patience, long-suffering.  All good thing to strive to emulate.  And one thing that I thought was interesting is that knowledge of these qualities of God is part of the salvation package, along with trust, diligence in keeping the commandments, and faith / endurance.

There are two big ways that we can gain knowledge about God: prayer and scripture study.  Other resources are good too, like conference talks are also essentially scripture for our day from modern prophets, and reading additional study materials is a good idea too, but prayer and scripture study are the core of all of it.

Today, let's work on coming to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and so much more about him. :)

James 1:2-4 -- On Letting Patience Have Her Perfect Work

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."
James 1:2-4


I like the idea here that God's plan encompasses everything.  I mean, joy because of temptations sounds like the wrong response, but the underlying idea here is that we're learning patience, and patience teaches us to be whole.

And wow, that idea that patience makes you whole is a huge idea.  ... So many things in life would be better with a little added patience, right?  We cause ourselves stress and anxiety all the time with impatience, and get into trouble and lose our cool and give up too soon, and so many things.  And it makes sense that we're impatient because we haven't learned to be okay with waiting, or to be present in the moment.  We don't trust the future, and like a little kid we want everything now, now, now! :)

Today, let's try to have a little bit more joy when God sends us a trial or temptation, and let's focus on learning some patience.  ... Very hard thing to learn sometimes, I know, but let's accept God's recommendation here and let patience have her perfect work.  I feel like if we give the idea a chance that we're going see some vast improvements in our lives even before we get all the way to the "perfect and entire, wanting nothing" stage. :)

John 16:33 -- On Peace in Tribulation

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
John 16:33


Christ says this on his last night of freedom before being arrested, and I think for his disciples it was in anticipation of some bad times ahead, but also a promise that they would get through it  and that things would get better.  And it is the same for us.  God sends us into the world to learn and become, and he knows it is going to be hard, but he also promises that we can get through it and that things will get better.

Tribulation is hard, by definition. :)  But in Christ we can have peace *anyway* ... and we can find ways to be of good cheer despite times of difficulty and sadness.  One of the reasons we can do this is because Christ offers us hope.  He overcame the world, so we know that the ending of each of our stories can be a happy ending through him.

Today, let's remember that tribulation is temporary.  Let's work on having the peace and the joy in our lives from knowing that there is a happy ending coming, no matter how bad the current chapter feels. :)

Alma 46:11-13 -- On Anger and Prayer

"And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.
And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land."
Alma 46:11-13


This is Captain Moroni's reaction to a political mess in his own country that threatened their freedom (Amalickiah was trying to get his followers to make him a king), after he had fought for it so hard against the Lamanites, and then he uses the flag that he made to drum up support to stand against the dissenters.  Amalickiah, when he finds that he can't force the nation to make him king, takes his followers to go join the Lamanites.

I really like the underlying idea here that when we see things going wrong, we need to join together to uphold the cause of God... but even more, I love that Moroni got angry and made his banner, and then prayed.  He sought the Lord's help in channeling his emotion into righting wrongs, which is super important because without that essential ingredient, we can get off track and find that we are becoming just like whoever or whatever we are standing against.

Today, as we stand up for what we believe in and everything God stands for, let's make sure that we are in tune with the Lord's will.  He will help us not to lose ourselves to anger and make bad or evil choices, but instead to be a part of righteous change.

Alma 40:14 -- On Fiery Indignation and Repentance

"Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this estate, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection."
Alma 40:14


This isn't a very happy verse, but it's interesting because it teaches us a little bit about the after death / before resurrection period.  A couple of verses previous to this, it tells us that the righteous "are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow," so it's a big difference.

It's kind of like the traditional ideas of heaven and hell, but in this chapter Alma is clearly teaching Corianton about a temporary state between death and resurrection.  Still though, it would be a super scary thing to not think you had to answer to anyone, and then die and realize that you would have to face a judgement.  ... I mean, I think it is also scary for all of us who know/believe, because it's still a big deal even when you know that we'll only be restored to what we choose ourselves, because we all make mistakes, and learning to choose the right is often hard.  Still, a good idea to avoid the "fiery indignation" by repenting for our mistakes now, and getting some hope back in our lives. :)

Today, let's learn from Corianton's lesson and make better choices... not just because we're afraid of judgement, but because God is personally reaching out to us with a reminder that he loves us, and he wants us to choose happiness over misery.  Let's work hard to get the evil out of our lives, and a hope for a glorious resurrection back into it, with God's help.

2 Corinthians 1:11 -- On Helping Together by Prayer

"Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf."
2 Corinthians 1:11


I like the phrase here "helping together by prayer."  It is God that delivers us, as stated in the previous verse, but we can join together and help through prayer and petitioning the Lord.  And when our minds are focused on helping, then we do more things to help as well, supporting and sustaining the people around us and making choices with everyone in mind.

I think the biggest thing standing in the way of miracles in this regard is our lack of faith.  When we develop a relationship with God and talk to him regularly he listens and helps.  If we don't have the spirit and we're way off base and praying for the wrong things or even evil things, then the Lord isn't going to be quick to hear us... but he is still trying to help by *not* giving us things that will harm us.

We have to be open to God's will and accept his judgement and timing... but as we do, we're often blessed with inspiration to know what to pray for, and how to make things better. :)

Today, let's work on helping together by seriously setting some time aside for God.  Let's get on our knees and pray, telling God what is on our minds, thanking him for our blessings, committing to act and make a difference, and repenting of our poor choices.  The more we practice, the more our faith will grow, and the more we will be able to "help together" with God. :)

Matthew 13:40-43 -- On Shining Forth

"As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Matthew 13:40-43


I like this.  I'm not saying that it will be fun for everyone... I mean, teeth gnashing doesn't sound like a good time, but I do like the idea of a place where good people can live without having to worry about the bad ones.  ... I think that sometimes we learn bad habits and defensive behaviors and mistrust because we feel like we have to protect ourselves from others... and so in a way, by being around bad, we become bad in those ways, and those are things that we have to really work to overcome... to learn how to love and trust and be willing to be vulnerable despite the risks.

Overall though, whatever it means for us, I am overwhelmed by the idea of children growing up in such a time and not ever having to learn about stranger danger, and there being zero risk of human trafficking, sexual abuse, and so many other horrible evils that the Lord has every right to cleanse from the earth completely.

Today, let's work on shining forth and learning to be good even in challenging circumstances... but let's also have hope for a better day where we don't have to worry about true evil touching our lives, because the Lord is our protection and our shield even now, but in the end, he will make everything right.

Alma 42:11-13 -- On Redemption

"And now remember, my son, if it were not for the plan of redemption, (laying it aside) as soon as they were dead their souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the Lord.
And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience;
Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God."
Alma 42:11-13


In trying to wrap my head around the idea of all of this--physical and spiritual death, the fall, the plan of redemption, etc. I have been trying to imagine someone who wants to grow up and be a pilot.

In our analogy, this is our aspiration, and we have dreamed of flying, and our overindulgent parents even borrow a plane from a family friend.  We have everything we need to succeed, we think, and against the friend's advice and clear warnings, we decide to take it out for a spin right away.  ... And obviously and very predictably, it is an epic failure. :)  We have no idea what we are doing, and have never even played a flight simulator game, let alone had a real lesson.  We don't know anything about it.  Thanks to watching movies we are able to start it up and get a little bit off the ground, but then the plane crashes.  Thankfully we are somehow able to bail out and survive.

So survival... great, but after getting out of a brief stint in the hospital, we've lost a lot of hope in our piloting career.  We still have no idea how to fly, and now we're in trouble for crashing a plane and endangering people on the ground, and we've basically bankrupted our parents.  It isn't looking good.  Maybe ditch-digging is a better career choice, under the circumstances.

Miraculously though, the family friend bails us out, pays for a lawyer, and says we can pay off the price of the plane by coming and helping out at his airfield... no ditch digging required.  In the process of doing work at the airfield, a little every day, we have opportunities to learn more about planes and how they work, and if we're willing to work hard and save up, we can even save up enough for flying lessons at the discounted price our family friend offers.  It's a second chance, and an opportunity to grow and learn and prepare better so that we still have a chance to reach our dream.

It's definitely not a perfect analogy, but this is like life.  None of us are perfect and we're going to fail when we make that joyriding-in-a-plane level mistake.  The fact that we aren't already dead is a tribute to God's love for and patience with us. :)  The only person who has ever not crashed the first time is Christ, who listened and studied harder than any of the rest of us... and his father is the neighbor, who is willing to help us reach our dreams, even though the plane we crashed belonged to his son.

Our lives are a time to prepare better and to be ready when we're faced with the real test... when we have the chance to get in that cockpit again and fly at a real altitude.  Everything we do up to that point determines whether we are going to successfully fly, or crash a lot more seriously, or maybe just give up and let go of that dream.

So, let's not take the analogy too seriously, because there are a lot of things wrong with it, but perhaps it is something that helps us wrap our minds around some of the ideas here, and think about what we're doing with our lives, and take advantage of the incredible opportunities and blessings we've been granted. :)

Mormon 9:9 -- On Sameness and Stability

"For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?"
Mormon 9:9


I love this.  Although we sometimes look at sameness as boring, I don't think that unchanging in this context means boring in any way, but instead it is the stability and solidity we need in our lives... even when all else is in commotion and unreliable, we can still have absolute faith and trust in God.  His love and guidance are always there to draw upon whenever we turn to him... even if we have previously gone off like the prodigal son, he will always welcome us home.

His commandments are also stable.  He's never going to bend and agree that it is okay for us to mess up our own lives... and that is a good thing, and it means that we can always rely on his wisdom and guidance, because we know he will never lead us astray or bend for the wrong reasons.  He's always going to teach us and encourage us to become the best beings we can possibly be.

Today, let's look to God and rely on him as our rock, and the anchor to our souls.  If we stay connected to him, we can look forward with confidence, and never lose our way.

Hebrews 1:10-12 -- On Creation and Awe

"And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail."
Hebrews 1:10-12


This idea that the foundation of the earth and also the heavens can be folded up like clothing is pretty mind-blowing, but it is also fairly consistent.  In the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Book of Mormon we read of the heavens being "rolled together as a scroll" (Isaiah 34:4), departing "as a scroll when it is rolled together" (Revelation 6:14), and the earth being "rolled together as a scroll" (Mormon 9:2) as well.  Tiny bit different than being folded, but essentially the same idea.

I guess what gets me about all of this is perspective.  Sometimes we think of God as just a powerful or wise man rather than the deity that he is, and maybe it would help both our faith and our humility a little bit to step back and remember that God created everything that we know, heavens and earth, and can fold it up like clothing. :)

Today, let's take a minute and try to recapture the awe and majesty of God, realizing that everything we know is from him.  And let's seek him and get to know him better, establishing that anchor of hope in our lives because we know that God can, and will, save us from anything if we put our trust in him and work towards a better future.

2 Nephi 5:1-2 -- On Resentment and Repentance

"Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cry much unto the Lord my God, because of the anger of my brethren.
But behold, their anger did increase against me, insomuch that they did seek to take away my life."
2 Nephi 5:1-2


In this chapter, God warns Nephi to flee, and so Nephi takes whoever will go with him and leaves, starting a new colony elsewhere.  Later in the chapter he explains that he made many swords using Laban's sword as a pattern, since he knew how much his brothers hated him, but to me, it comes back to trying to wrap my head around the hatred thing in the first place.  How did it get to this point with Laman and Lemuel?  Did Nephi become the focus for their answer and rage at their father, because he took sides against them?  They apparently let the resentment grow and grow... was it because they had to start over, creating a society from scratch?  How did they lose touch with the Spirit of God, and at what point did they start thinking that murder was okay?

... Maybe we don't need the specifics, but I think those questions matter in general because the same thing happens today, and the same thing could happen to *us* if we don't learn how to deal with our own anger.  Something happens in our lives that seems unfair and unjust, and we can let it take over our lives.  We could start thinking of people who don't agree with us as our enemies, and eventually decide that they aren't worth anything, and perhaps that the world is better off without them, and it is a small step from there to encouraging or participating in trying to make that happen.  Resentment starts small, but it can easily get out of control.

One way to make sure we don't allow our lives to get out of control in an evil way is to stick with God.  Through him we can learn to adapt to changing circumstances and understand that God creates opportunities for us wherever we are.  He will never leave us comfortless, or without hope, even though of course things might not work out the way that we envisioned.  Another thing that can help is true repentance.  Laman and Lemuel apologized for beating Nephi and for their cruelty early on.  They seemed to be trying to change, but they never let things go completely, because the whole murder thing kept becoming a theme.  ... And I'm not saying that letting things go is easy.  It's not.  But part of repentance is truly letting things go, no matter if our cause is just or not, because we're turning the justice part over to God to take care of in his own time, and allowing him to show mercy wherever he chooses, just as he does for us.

Today, let's choose repentance over resentment, and choose God over our grudge.  Let's never allow ourselves to become Laman and Lemuel, but make sure love comes first in our lives rather than hatred and apathy.

Alma 1:30-32 -- On Being Liberal to All

"And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need.
And thus they did prosper and become far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their church.
For those who did not belong to their church did indulge themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in babblings, and in envyings and strife; wearing costly apparel; being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting, lying, thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering, and all manner of wickedness; nevertheless, the law was put in force upon all those who did transgress it, inasmuch as it was possible."
Alma 1:30-32


There are a couple of impressive things here.  One of them is in the first verse of the selection where they didn't turn anyone away that was in need... helping everyone.  Another is in the last verse of the selection, because that is an impressive list of things that we're assuming the people in the church *didn't* do, because it mentions that other people did. 

Some of those things are things that we see as serious, but others aren't, and I'm wondering if we should take them all a little more seriously in case they are holding us back from being like the people in the first verse. :)

Today, let's think about how to be more like the first verse and less like the last verse, and maybe consider the things in the last verse that might be getting in our way as we try to progress.  Let's work with God and get his help with learning to be liberal to all, and helping everyone that we can.

2 Nephi 21:2-3 -- On Physical and Spiritual Senses

"And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;
And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears."
2 Nephi 21:2-3


This is Jacob quoting Isaiah, and these verses are specifically referring to Christ.  What I find interesting here is that sensory information is placed a distant second behind spiritual perception, which is fascinating in a world where we often say "seeing is believing" and similar things. 

In a media-rich world perhaps this is something that we should consider as well.  It's getting harder and harder to tell fact from fiction because fiction can be so much more realistic now.  This is probably good for entertainment, but bad for deception and fraud.

Today as we interact with the world, let's take the time to look more deeply and work to see with spiritual eyes rather than just physical ones.  Let's counsel with God as we make decisions rather than basing our decisions solely on our physical senses.  As we do, God will guide us, and perhaps we'll learn to react less and to ponder more, which seems like a good thing all around. :)

Alma 32:5-6 -- On Afflictions and Opportunity

"And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost among them said unto him: Behold, what shall these my brethren do, for they are despised of all men because of their poverty, yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have cast us out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our exceeding poverty; and we have no place to worship our God; and behold, what shall we do?
And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word."
Alma 32:5-6


This verse is part of the story of Alma and Amulek's journey to preach to the Zoramites.  As with most things, God has a different perspective than we do about afflictions, and here, when the poor among the Zoramites asks Alma how they can worship God when they are barred from church because of their clothing, he rejoices because he perceives that their afflictions have made them humble ("for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance" (verse 13)).

Obviously neither Alma nor God wanted these people treated the way they were because of their poverty, but from a spiritual perspective their persecution and mistreatment actually helped some of them accept the gospel and ended up being a huge blessing in their lives while the other Zoramites condemned themselves, and ended up destroyed more sooner than later.

I think maybe this is a good lesson for us as well--to take a step back from our problems and realize that there are opportunities as well, and things that we learn through the tough times that are invaluable.  God always provides a way.  Today let's remember that there are advantages to being exactly who we are.  Let's not waste time wishing that we were anything or anyone else, but instead take the lessons that we have learned and the faith that we have gained, and grow and thrive.  Let's worship God despite the hardships, and dedicate our lives to him, seeking his approval and not the approval of the world.

D&C 58:2-4 -- On Tribulation and Faith

"For verily I say unto you, blessed is he that keepeth my commandments, whether in life or in death; and he that is faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is greater in the kingdom of heaven.
Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.
For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand."
Doctrine and Covenants 58:2-4


Tribulation is not something we typically look forward to, but these verses make it clear that it is part of God's design, and that we just can't imagine the good, glory, and blessings that God has in store for us.  Our tribulations will seem like small things compared to that.

And yet, they don't seem like small things now.  And God gets that.  In the first verse of this selection he mentions that we're blessed when we keep the commandments, and *more* blessed when we are faithful in tribulation.  I think that makes it clear that when we fall apart, which we all do sometimes when things are especially hard, that we aren't cursed, and we aren't failures--but he gives us hope that when we learn to do better and to have more faith, we'll have access to more blessings, and grow closer to our potential.

Today, let's trust that God knows what he is doing with our lives and that he has everything good in store for us.  Let's endure our tribulation with as much faith as we can muster, hoping for the guaranteed better to come. :)

Proverbs 1:30-33 -- On the Fruit of Our Own Way

"They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil."
Proverbs 1:30-33


This reinforces the idea that we really need God's advice in our lives.  Eating the fruit of our own doing and being filled with our own devices is what destroys us, but hearkening unto God leads us to safety and ensures that we don't have to fear evil.

That's a pretty harsh message in our day, where we glorify self over pretty much everything else, but it is a worthy thing to consider.  I think we can see this happening in our own lives sometimes when we choose things that we know aren't right, and start messing up our own lives, and aren't sure how to get out.

Today, let's hearken to the Lord, being willing to dwell safely with him and being open to quietness rather than relentlessly pursuing our own desires and agenda even when we know they are bad for us.  Let's make room in our minds for the possibility that we are going about it all wrong, and that we really need God... because we really, really do.  Let's turn to the Lord and the fruit of *his* way, before we hit the wall and have to eat our own.

John 6:15-17 -- On Popularity and Isolation

"When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,
And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them."
John 6:15-17


These verses are interesting for a lot of reasons.  One of them is that Christ could have become a king.  Sure there were obstacles, but he had the support of the people, and he could have played on that and become great, at least as politicians are measured.  Instead though, he walked away.  I think this emphasizes what Christ is about.  He isn't playing for popularity.  He is reaching out to us to try to teach and help and make our lives better.  After this, some of that crowd found him again and he explained to them that they weren't looking for him for the right reasons.  Do we look to him for the right reasons?  Maybe a good thing to think about.

I also like the idea here that Christ needed some time by himself.  He was likely communing with God, as he was all the time, so not alone in that sense, but away from mortals at least. :)  I think this helps us to realize that there are times for everything in life... times to gather together and times to separate ourselves, and both are okay and sometimes needed.

Today, let's look to God as our father, teacher, life coach, and especially our God rather than as a politician, or a wish-granting genie. :)  God wants to give to us and help us, and he has miracles in store, but they are going to be on his terms, not because he needs our vote. :)  And let's be more patient with ourselves and others.  We all need to learn social grouping and social isolation, and none of us are perfect at either one. :)  God wants us to learn about ourselves and about others and the world, to learn love and to learn independence.  Let's look to him, whatever our circumstances, and seek his help.