Thought of the Sunday 29

I substituted in Primary today for the song leader.  Basically that means that I chose songs and sang them with the children ages 3-11.  In our church we have a songbook specifically for the Primary; aptly called The Children's Songbook.  I love the songs that the children sing.  Here is one that we were working on today called I'll Seek the Lord Early:

I'll seek the Lord early while in my youth,

And he will help me to know the truth.

I'll search the scriptures and find him there

Then go to our Father in fervent prayer.

I'll seek the Lord early and I'll obey

His living prophets in all they say.

I'll keep his commandments; his love will abound

I will seek the Lord early, and he will be found.

There are a ton of good thoughts in this short, children's song.  Here's my translation: I will seek the Lord as soon as possible and he will help me.  I will pray and read the scriptures and I will find him there.  I will obey his prophets and keep his commandments.  If I do all these things I will feel his love and he will be a part of my life.  Who doesn't want that?  I certainly need all the help I can get.  And who better to look to than someone who knows all things and can see the end from the beginning?

And here is the scriptural promise from Doctrine and Covenants 88:63,

"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

And from Proverbs 8:17,

"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."

One thing that I think about seeking the Lord early is that it takes effort on our part.  He is always there, but we have to put in the effort to seek him.  We have to be willing to let him into our life.  We have to obey, read the scriptures, pray, etc, so that the blessing of his nearness is ours through the gift of the Holy Ghost.  He won't come to us if we just sit around staring at the ceiling (or wasting time in some other similar pursuit); it is our job to take action.  So let's do it friends!