Tuesday 13 September 2016

A Psalm for every season



No matter how you are feeling, you should read this Psalm. If you're happy, sad, confused, worthy or worthless, or anything else, take the time to read this.

Psalm 103:

Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
Bless the LORD, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!


God:
Forgives
Heals
Redeems = compensates for the faults, and gains possession of through payment
Crowns us
Is steadfast
Shows mercy
Satisfies
Renews
Is righteous
Just
Can be known
Acts
Is gracious 
Is SLOW to anger - people think God is angry, but actually he's VERY patient! 
Loving
Doesn't always looking to punish
Doesn't do payback - he doesn't treat us as we deserve because of what we've done wrong
Removes our sins
Loves with a love which cannot be measured
Is a Father
Is compassionate 
Knows us
Understands our fragility
Remembers
Is everlasting
Is righteous
Is established
Is king - and he rules right now

Wow! And that's just from one Psalm! 

God is these things and more, many more. If we have a God like this on our side, what can really get to us? 
We need to be looking in the right place for satisfaction in life. If we know God is all of the above, then we should be living different to others who don't understand it. 

This Psalm actually inspired Matt Redman to write a song, '10,000 reasons'. The reason he wrote it? "If you wake up one morning and you cannot think of a reason to bring God some kind of offering of thanks or praise, then you can be sure there's something wrong at your end of the pipeline, and not his. We live beneath an unceasing flow of goodness, kindness, greatness, and holiness, and every day we're given reason after reason why Jesus is so completely and utterly worthy of our highest and best devotion."

So, today, live like you knew this stuff to be true. 
Give God your best - He's given and is giving you His!

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