Doctrine and Covenants Tuesday

Scripture of the Day:

Doctrine and Covenants 109:54-58

  54 Have mercy, O Lord, upon all the ^anations of the earth; have mercy upon the rulers of our land; may those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the ^bConstitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever.

  55 ^aRemember the kings, the princes, the nobles, and the great ones of the earth, and all people, and the churches, all the poor, the needy, and afflicted ones of the earth;

  56 That their hearts may be softened when thy servants shall go out from thy house, O Jehovah, to bear testimony of thy name; that their prejudices may give way before the ^atruth, and thy people may obtain favor in the sight of all;

  57 That all the ends of the earth may know that we, thy servants, have ^aheard thy voice, and that thou hast sent us;

  58 That from among all these, thy servants, the sons of Jacob, may gather out the righteous to build a holy ^acity to thy name, as thou hast commanded them.

Historical Background:

Section 109 of the Doctrine and Covenants is the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple as given to the Prophet Joseph Smith by revelation.  After of the sacrifice and struggle, the saints had completed their first temple and this dedication was a cause for much rejoicing in the face of much adversity.  Here is the entry on the Kirtland Temple from the Guide to the Scriptures-

The first temple built by the Church in modern times. The Saints built it in Kirtland, Ohio (United States of America), according to the Lord’s command (D&C 94: 3-9). One purpose was to provide a place where worthy Church members could receive spiritual power, authority, and enlightenment (D&C 109; 110). It was dedicated on 27 March 1836; the dedicatory prayer was given to the Prophet Joseph Smith by revelation (D&C 109). The Lord gave several important revelations and restored needed priesthood keys in this temple (D&C 110; 137). It was not used for the full temple ordinances given in temples today.

Also see the entry on Temples from the Guide to the Scriptures.

Gospel Principles Outlined:

1) We should pray for our political leaders, whomever they might be.

2) The Lord reveals the words of dedicatory prayers to the prophets.

3) The Lord is aware of the adversities of His people and will watch over them.

4) The temples are safe havens for the Savior's followers.

5) The Lord always prepares the way for the gospel to be shared throughout the world.

What I Learned Today:

I was touched by the fact that Joseph Smith was inspired to pray about the political leaders of his day.  We often lose sight of the great burden that they carry upon their shoulders and it is important that they receive our prayers even if they may have a different political perspective than we do.  Also, I find it interesting that the prayer emphasizes the role that political leaders can play in allowing the gospel to spread throughout the world.  We should be praying that their hearts will be softened towards the gospel so that they can allow the Church a better opportunities of sharing the blessings that we have with everyone.  What a blessing temples and prayer are!

Things I Will Implement:

I will improve the ways and frequency in which I pray for the leaders of my own country as well as the leaders of other countries as well.