Jacob 5:49-51 -- On Love and Trees

"And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Let us go to and hew down the trees of the vineyard and cast them into the fire, that they shall not cumber the ground of my vineyard, for I have done all. What could I have done more for my vineyard?
But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard: Spare it a little longer.
And the Lord said: Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard."
Jacob 5:49-51


This is part of the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees, and the idea here is that we are the trees that the Lord is taking care of. The fruit is bad, and he says that they should just burn the trees because they aren't producing anything useful, but the servant (representing Christ) answers that they should spare the vineyard a little longer. The Lord agrees, because he would rather save the trees as well.

I think the lesson here, at least from these few verses out of the overall story, is that God cares about us. He wants us to succeed, and even though we keep failing, he isn't going to do the "rational" thing and give up... he loves us, so he is going to keep trying with us as long as there is any hope at all. It's up to us to hold onto that hope as well, that God can help and save us despite our flaws... and as long as we keep trying to do better and to become what God is teaching us to become, then God will keep trying as well, doing everything he can for us.

Today, let's keep trying to learn and to make better choices, following God's path to a better self and a better world. :)

Alma 42:8 -- On Temporal Death

"Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of happiness."
Alma 42:8


We don't always understand why things happen, and that is especially true for death. From our mortal perspective, it seems like the ultimate end of all things, in good and bad ways. Sometimes we like the idea because we foresee an end to pain, struggle, or even boredom. I'm not guaranteeing that death is an end to all of those things, mind you, but we often see it that way. Usually we fear it, because we don't want to lose what we have of ourselves and we can't see past it to anything else.

By temporal death, the verse means the death of the body as opposed to a spiritual death. I don't actually think that our spirits can die, but spiritual death in the scriptures means separation from God. Not that it would be much better, really. Having to live without his light to brighten up the darkness, I would think that life would be pretty bleak. In any case though, talking just about bodily death, Christ saves us all from that, no matter what. Even if we sin, even if we think that we hate God. We still get resurrected, and get our bodies back, better than they were before... perfect and unable to sicken or die. So, we are reclaimed... but not till we actually have to go through it, because taking away death entirely would take away the probation period that we get now... the chance we have to change and repent and do things differently. Maybe it is a little like going from a driving simulation to actually being on the road. There are things that you can change and fix in a sim that are going to have permanent consequences on the road. This life is the place to get it right before we go back to a place that is much, much more permanent.

Today, let's remember to use the time we have in this life wisely, and try to look at death as a doorway, rather than a brick wall. :)

1 Peter 4:12 -- On Fiery Trials

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:"
1 Peter 4:12


I feel this... and we all might, a little. When something hard comes along, I kind of do think about it as some completely scary, alien thing coming out of the sky, probably to abduct me. As the verse points out, the real truth is much more mundane. Not that they aren't still scary, and maybe we won't ever grow to love trials, but they are natural events that we can expect... they are normal, and they are part of God's plan (because everything is taken into account, after all). He knows they will end, and that we'll again be okay afterward, and because he knows this, we can too.

Today, let's remember that our trials are normal and limited, and that we can and will overcome them. God is in charge, and we can call on him for help to see the way through.

Revelation 3:17-19 -- On Being Broken and Becoming Whole

"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."
Revelation 3:17-19


There's a core message here that we don't really want to hear, and that is that we are broken. We desperately *want* to be perfect and do everything right, and be smart and funny and awesome, and we do actually have some glorious moments, but we also really, really screw things up sometimes... alienate other people, make really harmful mistakes, lie, cheat, steal, act stupidly cruel, make overwhelmingly unwise choices, etc. We read about the prodigal son, or the unwise half of the ten virgins, or about the guy who buried his talent, and we shake our heads, not realizing that all of us are on the wrong side of those stories in a lot of ways. We wonder why the ancient Israelites made super bad choices and Laman and Lemuel resorted to violence, but we do the same things in at least some part of our lives. We're like the Emperor in the story of the Emperor's new clothes. We often think we're all that, but it is an illusion. We're faking it, and too often *not* making it.

I think God here is trying to tell us, hey... please, look at yourselves. You need an intervention, and some help, and I can help you, but first you have to see it. See that you are broken.

It isn't about making us feel horrible about ourselves, because although we might need a moment of that to realize that we need help... God isn't here to accuse or condemn. He isn't going to make us wallow in our admission of being less than we pretend to be. Instead, he offers us the chance to actually *become* that ideal person... actually much better than any ideal we had in mind. :) He tells us that we don't need to pretend anymore... we can actually BE great, be heroic, and even super-heroic, but the path to all of those things is through him. He offers us real clothing to replace the illusion we were wearing, and offers us the real treasure and insight that we may have thought we already had.

Today, let's go to the Lord and talk with him about our failings and our weakness, and ask for help. He will help us change and become more amazing than we can imagine, if we can be willing to see the truth of ourselves and put in the effort to follow his instructions. Only He can make us whole.

Moroni 10:4 -- On Going to the Lord

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost."
Moroni 10:4


I think so many of our doubts and arguments come down to this. People can't "prove" God is there, can't tell us how to think or feel; we can't even overcome our own hypocrisy most of the time, let alone tell each other how to live life. What it comes down to is always that we have to go to God with our questions and doubts, and ask *him.* ... It isn't easy, really. Sincerity and faith can be tough sometimes. Trying to break through our own mental cloud and make a connection with the divine can be challenging, especially if we are overwhelmed or distracted by other things. We have to calm all of the "me" stuff down so that we can reach out to Him.

Challenging definitely doesn't mean don't try though. God is there, and he wants to connect with us, if we are willing to turn to him. As we do, we can absolutely know the truth and learn more and more of how God talks to his children. We can feel the Spirit and know that God is there, and learn to have the Spirit in our lives more and more, trusting God to help us... and as we do that, life gets better and better. Today, let's go to God and talk to him about our lives and thoughts, letting go of the false faces we show to the world and just being completely open. He will hear us, and help us.

3 Nephi 11:11 -- On Drinking the Cup We are Given

"And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning."
3 Nephi 11:11


Life can certainly seem bitter sometimes, and I think I like this verse because when it feels that way, we know that we're on the right path... walking as Christ walked, and suffering the will of God. There will also be joy, of course, and a guaranteed happy ending, but there are also some definitely challenging chapters ahead.

Today, and also the next time life starts going sour, let's remember this scripture and know that things don't always go bad becuase we're doing something wrong. Sometimes things seem bad when we're doing everything right. Christ walked a difficult path, and as we follow him, we may too--but his way is still the right way, and the one way to salvation and an eternal happiness that will overshadow every pain.

Helaman 6:16-17 -- On Finding a Better Way

"And in the commencement of the sixty and seventh year the people began to grow exceedingly wicked again.
For behold, the Lord had blessed them so long with the riches of the world that they had not been stirred up to anger, to wars, nor to bloodshed; therefore they began to set their hearts upon their riches; yea, they began to seek to get gain that they might be lifted up one above another; therefore they began to commit secret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might get gain."
Helaman 6:16-17


It's sort of sad that as a species, we are always stirring things up. If we aren't angry enough to start a war, then we move on to secret murders? Yikes. Perhaps we need to be a little bit more imaginitive about how we spend our time... get better hobbies, try to tamp down the evil a little. I'm not saying it is easy. We learn in Mosiah 3:19 that "the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint...."

Today, let's listen to the Spirit, and put away our tendencies towards evil. Let's work harder on finding a better way, and better things to do with our time.

3 Nephi 11:37-38 -- On Repetition and Pondering

"And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.
And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God."
3 Nephi 11:37-38


When Christ repeats something for us, I'm guessing that we should listen, so this is something good to ponder. My take on it is that we need to learn to trust God the way a child trusts. Let go of our pride, recognize that we aren't going to get anywhere alone, and let go of all of our souvenirs of Hell... and be willing to show that by starting over through the process of repentance and baptism, looking to God to know the way instead of with our eyes (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Today, let's think about why Christ repeated this for us. What is he trying to emphasize for us?

John 9:24-27 -- On Blindness

"Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?"
John 9:24-27


It is interesting to me that although a blind man was healed in this story, the worse blindness was the spiritual blindness of Christ's detractors, trying to convince the world that Jesus had no divinity.

Today, let's pray and seek God's help in healing all of our different kinds of blindness.

Psalms 108:12-13 -- On Help

"Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies."
Psalms 108:12-13


I like the idea that God is our help, even when other help turns out to be useless. God is there even when nothing else is. That last part of this selection sounds sort of violent, but I don't think that God means it to encourage hatred of, or a desire to beat down, our enemies, or even encourage us to have enemies really. He asks us to love our enemies, after all, and when we love them, hopefully they stop being enemies at some point.

I think one important part of this is that God is in charge of all of it. He can help us, and he can make things right, when no one else can. He is the ultimate answer to every concern. Whatever we need, or whatever side we are on in the meeting of enemies, he will know what to do and how to help.

Today, let's trust God to make things right, with mercy and justice, even when we as people are failing each other in so many ways.

Exodus 36:5-7 -- On Rebellion and Dedication

"And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make.
And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much."
Exodus 36:5-7


Sometimes the scriptures seem to bog us down with detail... whose father was whose, how many pomegranates were engraved on the thing, how many people fought in the battle, what metal they made the candleholders from, etc. From our perspective, these things seem to be trivia. What impresses me about this verse and the general level of detail in these chapters is how much they cared. We get a skewed picture of the Israelites sometimes because of the rebellion and complaints we read about, and we conveniently forget that we also rebel and complain a LOT. :)

These people wrote this down because it mattered to them. Exodus 26 and Exodus 36 are mirrors of each other because God told them how to make it, and they appreciated that detail, and they followed it to the letter. The people in these verses were dedicated. They wanted to be part of God's great work... that's why they brought way too much stuff until Moses told them not to anymore.

Today, let's remember that we're all rebellious sometimes, but when it matters, let's be like the children of Israel here. Let's give way, way too much to make sure the Lord's will is done. That's what matters, and if that is where we end up, then all of those rebellions will fade away as we become the true children of God, walking in his ways.

Mosiah 16:5 -- On Breaking the Cycle

"But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over him. Therefore he is as though there was no redemption made, being an enemy to God; and also is the devil an enemy to God."
Mosiah 16:5


This is a good thing to remember... not as a negative thing to make life seem impossible, of course, but just as a reminder of what the point of all of it is. God gives us repentance as kind of an "extra life" chance in a video game. It doesn't solve the problems for us, but it erases some of the bad consequences of our previous choices and lets us try again.

The thing is, if we keep trying the same way over and over, we end up back at that same bad ending, over and over, and no amount of extra lives are going to solve that for us. God gives us this reminder so that we can take the gift he has given us and actually make different choices... change where we are headed, and what our priorities are, so we don't end up at that same bad place.

Today, let's break the cycle and use God's grace to change our lives for the better. If we fall down, let's get up again... but we need to keep walking God's path, and not the other way.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 -- On Trust and Deliverance

"For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;"
2 Corinthians 1:8-10


This is a good message of hope. I think we can probably all relate to the experience of trouble, and being overwhelmed... not knowing if we can actually survive/endure. I love how Paul admits this, but then says basically, but even though we didn't think we could make it, we trusted God's opinion more than our own, and we knew that he could deliver us and will continue to do so.

I think that is the same hope that we can have, every day. Even when we ourselves think that we can't go on... can't deal with all the world is throwing at us, can't be who we need to be, etc. ... we can trust God's opinion more than our own, and know that he wouldn't ask us to do anything that is impossible. Even on dark days, we can know that the light is coming, that God's promises are sure, and that there is a happy ending waiting, if we can keep going and get through this chapter. :)

Today, let's believe in God and keep going, trusting that he can help and deliver us, even from our own despair.

Galatians 5:22-23 -- On Spiritual Fulfillment

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
Galatians 5:22-23


I was thinking today that this is a good checklist to check to see if we are on track. We largely know what not to do, for instance that contention is of the devil (3 Nephi 11:29), but we don't always know how to tell average from spiritual until we lose the spirit, which is often noticable by its absence in our lives... we feel wrong, and like something is missing.

I kind of also like the idea that there are no laws against these things. I mean, obviously we can twist things to our own interpretation, but as long as we try not to do that, then these are basically freebies. As long as we're doing these good things, we don't have to stress about doing something wrong. These are the things that will fill us up when there are holes in our lives. To make sure we're seeking the spirit in our lives, maybe these are some things that we can seek to incorporate into our actions and interactions today.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:54 -- On Dark Minds

"And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received--"
Doctrine and Covenants 84:54


I think it is interesting here that unbelief darkens our minds. I wonder if it is because we are limiting ourselves and are unable to see all the possibilities. It kind of makes sense that when we block out God's voice, we are unable to tap into the light of his higher perspective.

The treating lightly thing is also important, although we don't want to get so serious that we are stressing ourselves out constantly because we aren't perfect--I think it's more taking God's opinion, ideas, and the eternal possibilities seriously rather than taking ourselves too seriously. :) We need to be serious about doing what God asks, but also give ourselves room to repent and change and realize that mistakes are part of the process. We just need to be improving... moving towards God rather than away from him.

Today, let's look to God to lighten our lives and our minds. :)

Daniel 3:28-29 -- On Deliverance

"Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort."
Daniel 3:28-29


Nebuchadnezzar wasn't really used to being disobeyed, so when Shadrach and his crew stood up to him about worshipping an idol, he was angry, and threw them into a furnace. When they survive though, he is really impressed, adn makes this decree. Of course he kind of misses the point, and still seems to think that asserting his authority about the whole thing will solve the problem, but at least he didn't just try harder to kill them or something. :)

The real point here is that God knows all of it, and he is in charge, not any leader or king. These men were saved, but Abinadi wasn't, for instance, so the thing to believe in isn't freedom from pain, or that God will save us from every challenging situation. He won't. He made this world, and we're here to live in it for a reason. As much as we would love for God to be our spiritual bubble-wrap protecting us from bumps and scrapes, sometimes those things are exactly what we need to go through in this life, for our own personal development and as part of God's plan. No Abinadi, no giant religious revival at that time in history. The thing to believe in is that God's words and laws and requests are the ones that make the most sense, and the ones that will see us safely home. Things that endanger that return are our real problems... threats from elsewhere don't matter compared to that.

Today, let's remember how well God can deliver us, and turn to him for help when we are in need. It won't always work out the way that we expect or want, but eventually real deliverance means it all *will* work out, because God keeps all of his promises.

Mark 16:9-11 -- On Miracles, Hope, and Happy Endings

"Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not."
Mark 16:9-11


It's interesting here that Christ's disciples didn't believe that he was alive. On one hand they had seen him die, they were grief-stricken, and they didn't have a lot of experience with resurrection, but on the other hand, Mary Magdalene saw him, and they just blew her off instead of considering that after all the miracles, hope, and happy endings that Jesus enabled, there could be another.

I think we're a lot like the disciples sometimes. Something bad happens and it breaks us, and we can't see past it, even when it means a partial or full undoing of the bad thing. For some reason we believe that good is fleeting and it is bad that stays and stays. But in our lives too, Christ is alive and well, and is still a God of miracles and hope and happy endings.

Today, let's try to see past the negative in our lives and in our minds and make room for the good that God offers us. It *is* there, if we can only believe.

Psalms 10:15 -- On Broken Arms and Wickedness

"Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none."
Psalms 10:15


This reminds me of two things. First, the story of Ammon, when he smote off the arms of the evil men who were trying to kill him (Alma 17:37), and the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees where it explains how God will clear away the bad "according as the good shall grow" ... "until the good shall overcome the bad" ... "and thus will I sweep away the bad out of my vineyard" (Jacob 5:66).

Breaking arms is not something that the Lord typically asks us to do. The verse is actually the psalmist asking the *Lord* to break arms. If we are in a situation like Ammon's, where people are trying to get us killed, then that's something we have to talk with the Lord about, but mostly we're supposed to be friends with everyone and love them. God, though, is planning on making everything right, and part of that is clearing away the bad to make room for the good, as it grows. Part of that might involve arms, as it did with Ammon, but it isn't something to be frightened of, because we can choose to be part of the force for good, so we don't have to be cleared away, but can instead be part of making the vineyard better and better. :) Today, let's avoid broken arms and wickedness. :)

Luke 5:30-32 -- On Sinners

"But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Luke 5:30-32


This is a good lesson, and one that seems very applicable to our day as well with regard to inclusion and acceptance of everyone around us, not just deigning to hang out with the righteous elite. :)

Not that there isn't another side. Sometimes hanging out with the wrong people can influence *us* to do bad things, so we have to make wise decisions and be an influence for good rather than allowing ourselves to be influenced for evil.

That said, I think that one of the lessons here that isn't explicit is that Christ came to call all of us to repentance, because we are all sinners, and so if we start thinking of ourselves as somehow "above" that, attempting to condemn other sinners because they sin in a different way that we do, then we're the deluded ones, thinking that we are somehoe not in need of Christ's atonement.

Today, let's remember to not place ourselves above others, but to lift and help and strengthen the people around us, and not allow ourselves to be influenced for evil.

Psalms 124:7-8 -- On Escape and Thanks

"Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth."
Psalms 124:7-8


I like the imagery here, and it is a good thing to consider that we really are rescued by God from so many permanently bad things because of the atonement. Our souls are escaped, because of Him, and we have a chance at even more, :)

Today, let's just take a moment and thank him for that. Even if we can't think of anything else to say... for now, being grateful is enough.

Judges 21:25 -- On The Days of No King

"In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes."
Judges 21:25


This verse and another one at the beginning of chapter 19 kind of bookend a really distressing story. A man is traveling, but doesn't want to stop in foreign lands and instead goes on to one of the cities of Israel. He eventually finds shelter but a gang then rapes and kills his wife... and that, as bad as it is, is putting a positive spin on the circumstances. He then cuts said wife into twelve pieces and sends her off to each of the tribes, asking for a meeting about how he was treated among his own. The meeting happens, the tribes ask Benjamin to turn over the men that committed the crime and are refused. So the tribes, with counsel from God, go to war and also they lost badly at first, they eventually slaughter most of the offenders, including their wives and children. Then, they are sad that there will be only 11 tribes, so even though they swore not to let their daughters marry into that tribe when all of this came up, they find creative (and additionally barbarous) ways to solve the problem and get them wives anyway, so that the tribe could continue.

Part of the barbarism we can chalk up to it being the Old Testament. Honestly, the world has progressed IMMENSELY since then in terms of basic rights and some generally accepted ethical guidelines. (I mean, Abraham was going to be a human sacrifice. Not a good time.) I imagine we will also seem like barbarians to people who read about us in the future. I find it a little ironic that they wouldn't break their word but it was okay to kidnap and murder (as part of the creative solution at the end). Nevertheless, it's a story with a lesson, in the Bible. So what is that lesson? Many to choose from, but what struck me today is the lack of authority that these bookend verses mention. There was no king in Israel... and I was thinking that in a lot of ways that was true not just literally, but also figuratively/spiritually. Even among the "chosen" people, the lawlessness and barbarism indicate that they weren't taking God as their king either.

This happens in our own lives. We wake up and do what is right in our own eyes. C.S. Lewis said it well:

"That is why the real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind. / We can only do it for moments at first. But from those moments the new sort of life will be spreading through our system: because now we are letting Him work at the right part of us. It is the difference between paint, which is merely laid on the surface, and a dye or stain which soaks right through." (from Mere Christianity, 1952)

Today, let's try not to be our own kind of barbarian, but instead listen to God and do what is right in HIS eyes, and look to our King.

Obidiah 1:15 -- On Rewards

"For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head."
Obidiah 1:15


The whole "thy reward shall return upon thine own head" thing is a big one in the scriptures, and it might be targeted specifically at "the heathen" here because they are the least likely to repent (although of course God offers the opportunity to all), but the idea of it... having what we give out restored to us... is not confined to any single group of people. That's going to happen to all of us, and is maybe something we should think about. I think if we remind ourselves of the whole restoration idea, we might change our ways... because we often don't want to be treated the way that we treat others, or have our own actions come back and bite us.

Today, let's consider what we are bringing upon our own heads. God's law is fair and good, taking into account repentance and change. We don't have to despair about who we have been, but we do need to do better, because in a sense every day we are rewarding ourselves, building up who we are going to be, and inviting blessings or cursings, depending on which of those we are giving out. :) Let's make sure we're helping rather than hurting, therefore turning things positive for ourselves, and our heads, as well. :)

Amos 9:5-6 -- On Stories in the Heaven

"And the Lord God of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name."
Amos 9:5-6


I like the line here about building his stories in the heaven. :) What is brings to mind for me is the same image I get when I read the creation story. God is someone who can speak, and it happens. He builds a story and it literally takes shape and comes to life. Maybe we get too used to thinking of him as a normal person and don't retain that awe that we should have knowing how much more than that he is.

Let's remember that the Lord tells stories that really happen. :) That would be a cool movie, but it's actually our reality that we get to live in. :) Today, let's pray with that in mind and try to understand the greatness of God, and how much he loves us that he is trying to help us and teach us how to be like him. :)

1 Nephi 8:10 -- On Happiness and Love

"And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy."
1 Nephi 8:10


I really like this description of the Tree of Life. It sounds like just looking at the tree, you know how perfect it is and how delicious the fruit is, and how enormously happy you will be, there, partaking of that fruit. Since the tree represents the love of God (see 1 Nephi 11:8-23), it seems like you would know all of those things about it. Nephi describes the tree saying "the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty" and that it is "precious above all." We can instinctively tell that God's love will make us happy. :)

That makes me really think about the love that God offers us. It isn't any average/normal kind of love that we experience from other people. We might get a taste of that kind of love from a good parent, friend, or family member, but even they "may forget" when God definitely will not (Isaiah 49:15). God's love is transcendent and joyous... it can fill us to overflowing with goodness and happiness. I believe that we consistently underestimate the way that God feels about us, and the vastness of his love. And we misunderstand it sometimes as well, thinking that God's love can be manipulated in strange "love blackmail" attempts that we sometimes make, or encounter with other people, like "if you really loved me, you would..." (modify your behavior to suit me) or thinking that we can get away with bad behavior because we are loved. Neither of those is true, at least to any greater extent than for any other person... God is *already* bending over backwards trying to save us from ourselves, and giving us a chance to overcome our bad behavior. He is never going to embrace or encourage it, and he modified his behavior a lot when he died for our sins... he isn't going to modify it further. The point of this second-chance life that he is giving us is so that we can learn to do things the other way around, and love HIM, and modify our behavior to be like *his*.

Which brings us back around to the first and great commandment, right? Loving God is our first job, just as his is to love us. The problem with all of us is that we don't do a great job on our side, and he does a superb job on his. We need to do better. We're really bad at even treating God as well as a friend sometimes, let alone like the single most important person in our lives. Today, let's re-examine our love a little bit, and see where we can improve, rather than thinking that it is God that needs to love *us* better.

Mosiah 17:6-7 -- On Finding Reasons

"And after three days, having counseled with his priests, he caused that he should again be brought before him.
And he said unto him: Abinadi, we have found an accusation against thee, and thou art worthy of death."
Mosiah 17:6-7


It's interesting that King Noah and his priests found an accusation against Abinadi at this point. Three verses earlier, the king sent his servants to slay Abinadi, but now it is presumably more public and he is looking to justify his actions.

Maybe this is something that we can learn from on both sides of the equation. King Noah's side teaches us not to let wealth, title, or position get in the way of listening to the Lord. King Noah's pride got in the way of him making a good decision here, and his justifications didn't save him. On Abinadi's side, even though his life is in danger, he listens to the Lord and shares the message that he came to share. Maybe he didn't know what good it would do (converting one of the priests and starting a new religious movement in the kingdom), but God knew, and Abinadi trusted him, even to the point of giving up his life. And that sacrifice made a huge difference.

Today we likely won't have to sacrifice our lives for the Lord, but we can live for him. Let's trust him to know what will make a difference, and let's do as God asks, not letting pride or anything else get in the way of our obedience. If we have to go out "finding reasons" to justify our preselected actions, let's find reasons to justify our faith rather than the other way around.

Alma 26:27 -- On Patience and Persistence

"Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."
Alma 26:27


Much as we might not like it, patience and afflictions are part of life by design. :) They are things that are designed to refine us and teach us to be better than we are. I think we have probably all had times in our lives when we could relate to Ammon's words here about being depressed and wanting to give up. Maybe it is significant that God doesn't just smooth it over with instant success or peace, but encourages them to persevere, to endure the afflictions with patience, and doesn't promise them immediate relief, but if they endure it well, then he promises success.

By these measures, there are probably a lot of things that we give up too soon on. We encounter an obstacle and we throw up our hands and quit, saying, "well, I tried." ... But we didn't try like these men did, or like Nephi and his brothers did. ... I'm not saying that we can't give up on things in our lives. That's just another choice, and sometimes we find out what we wanted isn't worth it, or even valuable. Our needs and desires evolve. I'm just saying that if there is something important to us, and God approves, then God's will help us as we exercise patience and faith.

Today let's not depression, fear, or lack of success stop us from working towards our righteous goals. With God on our side, a willingness to endure challenges, and a healthy dose of patience, we can still move forward and find our way to eventual success.

Psalms 94:18-19 -- On Overthinking and Overstepping

"When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.
In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul."
Psalms 94:18-19


These are some things that I think we can relate to... slipping, both literally and figuratively, and being filled with a multitude of thoughts. :) In both cases, the Lord helps us, which is amazing because these aren't really times when we expect help, and surprise help might be the best kind, because there are things that you just can't plan for, and it is amazing to know that God is always there, even in our emergency times of need.

Today, let's look to the Lord when we slip or overstep, when we are thinking too much or about the wrong things, and in every other circumstance, emergency or not. :) The Lord will be there to listen and to help as we look to him and trust in him.

Luke 12:23 -- On More

"The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment."
Luke 12:23


Usually this verse is quoted with the verses around it, and obviously context is valuable, but in this case I was thinking that maybe context also distracts from the message of this verse. The verse before is talking about food and clothing, but maybe there is more here, asking us to look beyond just survival... food, clothing, shelter... and see that there is a lot more there for us, and (back in context) if we trust God enough to provide those things for us, then we will feel more confident in seeking something more than necessity. And, on the other hand, if we help others as God asks, then we can try to relieve those survival-level worries for them as well, so they too, can seek the things of a better world rather than just trying to eke out an existence in this one. :)

It's hard sometimes to get out of our narrower focus and try to see God's ideas and the possibilities that he offers us, but as we do, a greater world opens up to us, and we can see farther. Today, let's work on helping ourselves and others out of survival mode and work on seeing what more God has to show us.

Ether 4:8-10 -- On Contending with God

"And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh.
And at my command the heavens are opened and are shut; and at my word the earth shall shake; and at my command the inhabitants thereof shall pass away, even so as by fire.
And he that believeth not my words believeth not my disciples; and if it so be that I do not speak, judge ye; for ye shall know that it is I that speaketh, at the last day."
Ether 4:8-10


In our lives I think we often fall into the trap of thinking that it is all about us, when it is really all about God (and God is all about us). The first commandment is to love God, and he is working to help us all get to the happy ending he has provided. Only he can save us from ourselves... not anything else.

When we fight against God, I feel like we're operating under a fundamental misunderstanding about what life is, and who God is. God doesn't hate us when we complain--he is willing to talk to us about anything, but just like the main character Orual in C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces, our complaint to the Gods isn't about them, but rather about us.

God made all of this to save us, and the biggest obstacle to that salvation is that we trust ourselves more than we trust God. Today, let's step back and look at whether we are contending with God's word, or denying, or beliving not... and if so, let's try something different and really try letting go of our need to control things as much as we can. The more we trust God to direct our lives, the more he can help us.

Psalms 69:1-3 -- On Waiting for Salvation

"Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God."
Psalms 69:1-3


Perhaps we all have times in our lives when we feel this way--kind of spiritually drowning. And, as the weariness and waiting implies, God doesn't always save us right away. There are experiences and hardships that we need to go through and learn from... part of the overall plan of life.

A couple of things about that though... first, we often feel overwhelmed when we are learning something new or trying something we don't understand fully. We cry when we can't learn to tie our shoes or memorize our times tables... but a parent that would save children from those things could be doing them a disservice later. God's goal *is* our happiness, but not necessarily our immediate, temporary happiness. Rather, he always does what will help us to be happy in the very very long term--the eternities. That difference in perspective sometimes puts us at odds with God, and we essentially cry out asking if he loves us and wants us to be happy, why isn't he saving us now. And from his higher and longer perspective he looks back and says, of course, and I am... because he is saving us right now, in every breath. This is what saving looks like.

We don't always enjoy being saved. The ancient Israelites balked at it a lot, and Laman and Lemuel weren't fans either. And the promised land often looks a lot like a wilderness and a lot of work. It is hard for us to see past that, and realize why things happen the way they do, but God can see it all, and we are in his hands. He tries to show us some of that in the scriptures... the long term stories of generations of people being saved beginning with one person, touched by God. Today, let's look around at our lives and consider the idea that God is saving us right now. Maybe it will help us to see salvation where we could only see obstacles before.

Exodus 34:21 -- On Rest

"Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in bearing time and in harvest thou shalt rest."
Exodus 34:21


I really like the fact that God tells us to rest. Work is important, obviously, and God tells us to work even more than rest... but he illustrates for us, even in the creation story, that rest in moderation is good. I think that this can be applied to a lot of things in our lives, because we have to manage stress and set boundaries in other areas as well. We can't be "always on." I appreciate the fact that God teaches us to take care of ourselves in many ways.

Today, let's think about the balance in our lives with work and rest, and make sure that we are being diligent, but also healthy. Let's make time to do the things that will take us towards our goals and fulfil our obligations, but let's not wear ourselves out. Let's set some good boundaries, make sure we get enough sleep, and take time to rest. As we do so, the Lord will bless us, and we'll also be able to be more mentally and physically capable in our work, because we are taking care of ourselves.