Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 2:27

Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 2:27

"And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:"

The prophet explains this verse best.

"What did the Savior mean when He said that “the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath”? I believe He wanted us to understand that the Sabbath was His gift to us, granting real respite from the rigors of daily life and an opportunity for spiritual and physical renewal. God gave us this special day, not for amusement or daily labor but for a rest from duty, with physical and spiritual relief.

In Hebrew, the word Sabbath means “rest........I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father...... “What sign do I want to give to God?” 

(Russell M. Nelson, "The Sabbath Is a Delight", Apr 2015 General Conference)

Day 3118

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 40:8

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 40:8

"I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."

Delight = great pleasure

Do I really delight to keep the commandments? Do I delight in paying tithing, and serving in callings? Do I delight in the trials I must pass through because they are God's will for me? Saying you delight in doing God's will is more than just being obedient. It's an attitude of joy, it is something that you take great pleasure in. I know there were times I did not delight in lots of things. I know my attitude has changed a lot over the years, but there is still much improvement needed. The ones I delight in are those written in my heart after receiving a testimony of their truths. Witnessing how God's laws are a shield and protection to me. How His will for me was only for my good. If the law is not written in my heart, from having tried and proved them, then there is no way to delight in it. This is not something that happens overnight. It is a conversion that takes a lifetime.

Day 2677

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 11:5

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 11:5
"And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death."

I reflected on if my soul deligheth in the Lord. Life can get so busy and I am so grateful for this time of night where I can stop and reflect on my Savior and all that he has done for me. Reading scriptures is a delight because I shut the world out and ponder His words. Tonight, I pondered on where I would be without his covenants, grace, justice, power and mercy. I really don't know, but I simply wouldn't be sitting here and this isn't something I want to be without. I realized how important it is to take time every day to ponder the scriptures and think upon the Lord because it would be so easy otherwise not to. I think my soul would feel so very, very empty. Yes, reading and pondering on the scriptures and all the Savior has done for me fills my soul with delight.

Day 1796

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 58:13-14

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 58:13-14
"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."

I absolutely love the Sabbath day. It is a delight to me. It wasn't always so. My soul is well feed and rested on this holy day, as I am more careful about what I do before and after going to church. I love sitting with my family discussing what we learned at church that day. We just can't wait to come home to talk with each other. I can't wait for next year's home-centered gospel learning. We have been prepared and it can only get better. I sit in amazement on how enlightening it is to study the scriptures particularly on this day, either with family or by myself. Pondering the scriptures is the greatest investment of my time on this day. I am so grateful for all the gospel learning materials available at my fingers. I am so blessed.

Day 1312

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 56:2, 6-7

Today's Favorite Verse: Isaiah 56:2, 6-7
"Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing an evil."
Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people."

I love the sabbath and I love the temple, both are a delight to me. So with both of these verses I had a hard time choosing only one as my favorite. Then I saw they go hand in hand. For it is by learning to keep the sabbath holy that I give a sign to God on how I love Him. In turn he blesses me with joy in His holy house. 

Day 1310

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 1:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 1:2
"But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

The footnote says "law" is Heb for teaching, direction, doctrine.

This made me think of my day and how it is filled from morning to night  pondering the things of the gospel. I read the scriptures the moment my eyes awake. Then there is family and personal scripture study at night. These are all the highlights of the day. In between these times I ponder in my mind what I have read. These breaks are important, for it is in the living of life that the words of God come to new understanding. Something will happen during the course of the day that sheds light on what I read later. All of this gives me much peace. Yes, I could say it is a delight.

Day 1054