I am in your midst

Some of my greatest inspiration and peace and direction in life comes while sitting in the temple, waiting in the chapel for the next session to begin, listening to the organ, with the scriptures open. Sometimes I'm reading something on purpose, but often I just happen to open up to a verse that I really need.  Always I learn something new and then I have a couple of hours to ponder and when I turn to the scripture again there seems to be even more there than before. ;)  It's such a blessing and it was repeated tonight....

In Doctrine and Covenants 29:5, the Lord says in September 1830 to Joseph Smith and a few other elders gathered together: "Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is his good will to give you the kingdom."

That's pretty wonderful just by itself and then it goes on:

"And, as it is written—Whatsoever ye shall ask in faith, being united in prayer according to my command, ye shall receive."

And then you go to any of the footnotes and there is much more.  My favorite is this....Doctrine and Covenants 38:7: "But behold, verily, verily, I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you. I am in your midst and ye cannot see me;"

These verses are spoken to Joseph Smith and other leaders of the Church at the time, but I believe they are recorded and can be applicable to each of us, and they were particularly meaningful to me tonight.  I've been searching for Him.  Sometimes I feel like He is hard to find and I get discouraged.  I was grateful for the reminder that He is most definitely here, even in our midst, but we can't see Him.  We need to ask, seek, be humble, be united, be one....and He is there!

I just saw this post on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's blog that I love, that's so related - "If the Savior Stood Beside Me"