Psalm 103:1-5 - Praise The Lord, O My Soul; And All That Is Within Me, Praise His Holy Name
Psalm 103:1-5 (NIV) Praise the LORD, my
soul, and forget not all his benefits - who
forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit and crowns
you with love and compassion, who satisfies your
desires with good things so that your youth is
renewed like the eagle's.
WORD STUDY
103:2 forget not all His benefits. These
earthly gifts from God included: 1) forgiveness of
sin (v. 3); 2) recovery from sickness (v. 3); 3)
deliverance from death (v. 4); 4) abundant
lovingkindness and mercy (v.4); and 5) food to sustain life
(v.5). [MacArthur Daily Bible 2003]
COMMENTARY PEARL
My husband, Scott, starts his new job at
a tech company in a month. The company has a
wellness program as part of the benefits package.
They want their employees physically, mentally,
and emotionally whole. Scott read the varied
list of things that the wellness program
allocation can be used for, such as a gym membership,
lifecoaching sessions, and even house-cleaning services.
I immediately put in my vote for the
house-cleaning services. I lobbied for the fact that clean
toilets and sparkling fixtures would help my
well-being immensely, which would ultimately help our
marriage because of my wellness. Scott rolled his
eyes at me and said, "Stop trying to steal my
benefits." That was hurtful but true. The wellness
program is for employees only.
Fortunately, the benefits of following
Jesus apply to all of us. The benefits of loving
Jesus are life-altering. He forgives every sin
that we have ever committed, giving us open
access to our heavenly Father. He heals our hearts
and our minds, filling us with goodness and
peace. He takes our brokenness and frailty,
restoring us to wholeness. He fills us with
overflowing compassion. He surrounds us with His immense
love. He fills the deep well of need within us,
satisfying our desires with good things and renewing
our strength. True wellness begins the moment we
invite Jesus into every nook and cranny of our
lives. Susanna Foth Aughtmon
Faith Step: Remember all the benefits you
have received in your own life since you began
following Jesus. Praise Him for all that He has done.
[Mornings With Jesus 2021 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
ILLUSTRATIONS
Not long after I had both knees replaced
on the same day, I started to feel like a caged
bird, doing most of my rehab inside my condo. One
day I asked my daughter visiting from California
to take me to the nature parka few blocks away.
We walked slowly to the area where a number of
wild birds are caged because of permanent injury.
That was the first time I took a close look at
Sarge, a large stately American bald eagle.
Unfortunately, Sarge was born with a feather disorder that
makes her feathers brittle. She can't hunt or fly,
so she has lived in captivity since 2014.
During the next three years as my knees
healed, I visited Sarge often. One day I sat and
talked with the man in charge of all the birds at
the turtle park I learned that many of Sarge's
visitors are patients from the veterans' hospital.
He told me about the many injured
military men and women who visit Sarge, who sometimes
ask to put on a handler's glove so they can hold
her. They're hurt, she's hurt. They form a bond
and keep coming back and eventually get to work
with Sarge as an educational leader at nursing
homes, schools, and veterans programs, providing
tens of thousands of people with the opportunity
to get to know America's symbol of freedom up
dose and personal.
Sarge taught me the importance of
reaching out to others. I'm drawn to people who have
had knee replacements, curious as to how their
healing is going. Once I tell them I had both knees
done on the same day, they're eager to share
their own story.
Lord, let me to reach out to those whose
bodies may be failing and who need encouragement.
Patricia Lorenz [Walking in Grace 2021 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan re vs. 5]
Thanks for the Memories
While jogging early this morning, I found
myself humming the tune Bob Hope immortalized
during several wars. I can still remember his
tailor-made lyrics, fitted to each occasion. He sang
them to lonely soldiers, sailors, airmen, and
marines from steamy jungles to frozen reservoirs
from the decks of aircraft carriers to makeshift
platforms on windswept sand dunes. As guys and gals in
uniform laughed and cried, screamed and sipped Coke,
they always anticipated Hope's finale as he took
the mike and crooned, "And thanks for the
memories "
I remember it well: Christmas of '58 on
Okinawa. I was homesick, missing my wife, and
counting the days. So when the veteran entertainer
sang his closing song, I sang along with him in a
flood of memories. I recall how grateful I was for
that tour of duty: the lessons I had learned, the
disciplines I had begun to employ (thanks to the
Navigators), the books I had read, the missionaries I had
met, the places I had visited, the journal I had
kept, the letters I had written, the verses I had
memorized, even the things I had witnessed inside a
Marine Corps barracks! And, most importantly, the
call I had received from God to enter ministry.
Looking back now, all I can do is smile
and sing, "Thanks for the memories." I'm
doing that a lot these days as I recall the
various things God has done in me and through me and
for me - and sometimes in spite of me! And I
can't help but give Him praise in my heart.
Pastoring a church has to be the highest
of all callings. In this position, one has the
privilege of touching life at its tenderest points
of walking with pain through its darkest
valleys of proclaiming truth in its purest form
of confronting sin in its ugliest scenes
of modeling integrity through its hardest
extremes - while everyone is watching as well as when
no one is looking. It is no wonder to me why it
requires a God-given calling before one enters it or
why such a struggle accompanies resignation from
it.
And after all these years I say a
resounding, "Thanks for the memories!" For the
conversions that have occurred, the addictions that have
been conquered, the marriages that have been
restored, the fractured lives that have been mended.
These memories stay with me and revisit me often
as I thank Him for His faithfulness.
Who knows what other surprises God has
over the horizon? I do not know what lies ahead,
but for today I pause and praise Him and
thank Him for the memories.
We know who holds the future as we
thank Him for the past. [Chuck Swindoll
www.insight.org.]
CLOSING THOUGHT
Remarkable
Every day I have the honor of sitting
down with a book that contains the words of the
One who created me. Every day I have the
opportunity to let him give me a thought or two on how
to live.
If I dont do what he says, he
doesnt burn the book or cancel my subscription. If
I disagree with what he says, lightning
doesnt split my swivel chair or an angel doesnt
mark my name off the holy list. If I dont
understand what he says, he doesnt call me a dummy.
In fact, he calls me Son, and on a
different page explains what I dont
understand.
Remarkable.
At the end of the day when I walk through
the house, I step into the bedrooms of three
little girls. And one by one, I bend over and kiss
the foreheads of the angels God has loaned me.
Then I stand in the doorway and wonder why in the
world he would entrust a stumbling, fumbling
fellow like me with the task of loving and leading
such treasures.
Remarkable.
Then I go and crawl into bed with a woman
far wiser than I a woman who deserves a man
much better looking than I but a woman who
would argue that fact and tell me from the bottom
of her heart that Im the best thing to come
down her pike.
After I think about the wife I have, and
when I think that I get to be with her for a
lifetime, I shake my head and thank the God of grace
for grace and think, Remarkable.
Im learning not to take these everyday
miracles for granted.
Im discovering many things: traffic
jams eventually clear up, sunsets are for free,
Little League is a work of art, and most planes
take off and arrive on time.
Im learning that most folks are good
folks who are just as timid as I am about starting
a conversation.
Im meeting people who love their
country and their God and their church and would die
for any of the three.
Im learning that if I look if I
open my eyes and observe there are many
reasons to take off my hat, look at the Source of it
all, and just say thanks. [Max Lucado Daily
Devotional at maxlucado.com]
RELATED MUSICAL LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT (Be
Sure And Note The Lyrics):
10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) - Matt
Redman (Best Worship Song Ever):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Fernando
Ortega: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEh7Vt9sxmc
"Count Your Blessings" By The Martins (2010)
" You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rd0ManetzM
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
Psalm 103:1, 2 - Praise The Lord, O My Soul;
And All That Is Within Me, Praise His Holy
Name.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2017/20170106-1712.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.revelationnow.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
