Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 16:11

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 16:11

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

This reminds of an article I was reading today about the loss of belief in God happening. It really hit me thinking about the youth.

"When I was a kid, my parents took it for granted that we’d be brought to mass, we’d be taught the ways of prayer, we learned about the saints. They just immersed us in that world," Barron recalled. "Well, when you don’t immerse people in that world, you say things like, ‘Oh, it’s up to you, you decide what you want to do when you’re 16.’ You lose all that. And then we’re surprised that young people are adrift and young people have lost their sense of purpose and meaning?"

(Catholic Bishop Robert Barron, "US religious leaders explain why faith in God hit lowest level ever, say COVID made it worse" by Andrew Mark Miller, Fox News)

Without God in my life, and the guidance, direction and purpose He gives me, I don't know how I would find my way without it in my life. How would you know a fulness of joy?

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

(Proverbs 22:6)

Day 2653

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 22:25, 31-32

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 22:25, 31-32

"And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:"

I could not stop from thinking about my broken arm. The joy I felt in the morning, over making an appointment to go to the temple, was dashed to pieces by evening, when I fell while printing out my temple cards. I remember laying on the floor, knowing my arm was badly broken, and saying, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord". I knew my righteous desire to go to the temple was now placed on hold. Sometimes we can be on a good course, but it's not the road we are meant to travel. We just have to accept the course we are now on and know its the course God has in store for us. Having that knowledge makes enduring and having patience more attainable.

Day 2298

Today's Favorite Verse: John 19:24

Today's Favorite Verse: John 19:24
"They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scriptures might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my rainment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did."

I pondered on how the soldiers were busy casting lots for the garments of Jesus oblivious to what was happening around them. The focus was so much on things of this world then things of eternity. Even with these acts, which didn't require much thought, they were fulfilling prophesy. How many times I wonder have I seen prophesy around me and not realized it? How many times have small actions on my part guided my course into something larger? I never know when or how my actions affect another. I can't go back and change things because the path I am going, no matter how small, is the path I needed to take. There is peace in knowing that. Otherwise, you are just wracked in torment trying to force the tide of yesterday that is impossible to change.

I thought about the centurion that watched Jesus being crucified and when the tempest and earthquake happened he said "Truly this was the Son of God"? Saul who persecuted the saints and held the coats of those that stoned Stephen, later on the road to Damascus truly learned who Jesus was. How it must feel to miss what is truly going on around you and then have your spiritual eyes opened up. I guess the key is for me to keep my eye on eternity and not on the world as I walk in faith. When I stumble through Christ I can repent and change direction.

Day 1589

Today's Favorite Verse: Jonah 2:3-4

Today's Favorite Verse: Jonah 2:3-4
"For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple."

This was me today. The vicissitudes of life overwhelmed me and it was a rough day trying to keep my head above water. Or maybe its that I've been trying to hold my breath to long that's been hurting. This is just part of what life is, at times. This is why I need my Savior. Thankfully there is the temple and I could come and find clarity, direction, and allowed to rest. I know when I do what the Lord told me to do, all this will work for my good.

Day 1466

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 16:9

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 16:9
"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directed his steps."

It was only from the events of the last few days, that I have come to see the plan the Lord had been directing all along taking shape. I have been moved by the spirit to do specific things, and  I didn't having the understand of why. It was not what my heart or head thought I needed to do. I would ask the Lord if it was right and was told "You don't know how beautiful it will be." I just had to walk in faith and trust him. I am seeing beauty in his plan now. He has been coordinating something wonderful all this time, and I haven't even seen all of it yet. I am humbled and in awe of how powerful God is in our lives, if I will but let him direct my steps. His plan is a far better plan than what I could devised. I know it will be beautiful.

Day 1219

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Samuel 14:30-31

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Samuel 14:30-31
"Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.
The Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?"

Absalom wants to see his father king David. He kept asking Joab to come see him so he could ask to be sent to the king. Finally, Absalom gets desperate enough that he burned Joab's field to get him to come to him. Not a very nice thing to do but it was effective.

What this made me think about is how sometimes the issues I have before me aren't really the issue. It's something else the Lord is trying to tell me or get my attention on in the matter, or just get me to move in another direction. I will have a trial and while getting through that trial I have been given greater blessings instead. Sometimes the field is on fire because its the only way to get my attention.


Day 856