Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Kings 8:46-48

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Kings 8:46-48
"If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:"

Solomon is dedicating the house of the Lord. In the dedicatory prayer is both a warning and blessing. That if Israel sins against the Lord they will be carried away captive. Which happened about 417 years later when they were carried away into Babylon. I love to read over temple dedication prayers. It is always interesting to see what protection and promises are given to particular temples. One thing I learned from my temple's dedicatory prayer is I have to be mindful of winds and storms in my area. I felt great peace when we removed very large and dangerous trees from around my home.

"May its beauty never be marred by evil hands. May it stand strong against the winds and storms that will beat upon it. May it be a beacon of peace and a refuge to the troubled. May it be an holy sanctuary to those whose burdens are heavy and who seek Thy consoling comfort."
(Dedicatory Prayer, Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple, October 13, 1996)

My temple has been a place of peace and refuge. I have had my burdens lifted and found words of comfort as I have served in the house of the Lord. Various older temples and some younger than mine have been renovated and rededicated. I have wondered if the dedicatory prayers have changed. If mine is redone I hope it will still say "We thank Thee for this favored season in the history of Thy work."

Day 3844