Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Inspiration

I've been contending with many unknowns in my life where I have no control, where I know I must trust in the Lord. This verses in 1 Samuel and Psalms gave me inspiration this morning:
3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.
4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
5 And David’s two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
-1 Samuel 30:3-6

I love how this shows that David is human, that he wept as the people did (as a point of clarification, this was before David became the king). Then when the people turned their anger and frustration toward them, David did not continue to feel sorry for himself and he did not turn back to them in anger. Rather, David, trusted or "encouraged himself" in the Lord. It is human to feel sadness for a time when things don't go well. However, it is how we continue on that matters. David continued by trusting in the Lord! In fact, he prayed to God and received an answer as to what he should do.
8 And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.
-1 Samuel 30:8
Then David did his part, he did as instructed. He pursued Amalekites, overtook them, and recovered everything they had taken.

This story in 1 Samuel also led me to a Psalm of David that encapsulates his trust in God.
3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
4 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  56:3-4
It pleases my soul to know and to be continually reminded that when I put my trust in the Lord, he will fight my battles.

Thursday, July 08, 2010

How to secure blessings and answers to prayer

The Lord will bring us his blessings to that extent that we have diligence in keeping his commandments. Each of you, in other words, must stand on your own feet if you will receive the great blessings which the Almighty has in store for you. . . .

Stand upon your own feet, so the Lord can speak to you. In humility be prepared to say with Paul, ‘Lord, what wilt thou have me do?’ And with dauntless courage say with the boy Samuel ‘Speak, Lord, thy servant heareth.’ Be humble, be prayerful and the Lord will take you by the hand, as it were, and give you answer to your prayers.
-Harold B. Lee, “But Arise and Stand upon Thy Feet”—and I Will Speak with Thee, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year, Provo, 7 Feb. 1956, pp. 7, 11