The Right Response 4

Psalms 103:1-5 KJV

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 forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Indeed, our God is awesome. He reigns and rules in the hearts of men and does as He pleases with all He has created. As we examine our hearts and lives, I'm sure that we will find reasons to praise God more and complain less. I think our manifest headache these days is because we spend so much time looking and lusting after the closed doors beside us that we simply ignore or do not notice the open doors in front of us. We spend precious time wishing, waiting, watching and whining for a better life out there, forgetting that true change starts from within- a grateful heart of praise and thanksgiving for all that we have presently and for what God himself will give us as we ask.

Today's extract seeks to direct  our hearts to the things that matter. We are to bless the Lord everytime, everywhere, everyday and every chance we get. The reasons are made known here and as I look at these reasons, I have cause to be more grateful because there's nothing left that has not been taken care of: the past, present and future. He's forgiven our sins and healed all our diseases, promises that his cross has taken care of; he's crowned us with his tender kindness and compassion, guaranteeing our eternity in the future. He doesn't forget to take care of us here while we are waiting for our eternal redemption: He also satisfies our desires with Good things, so that our strength is constantly renewed. What has He left out? What hasn't He thought about? What can happen to us that will be beyond his power, wisdom and strength? What can happen to me without his permission and authority? What can the devil do to me without speaking to God first?

I'm a product of God's great grace and mercy and I am a product of careful planning and awesome wisdom. There's nothing accidental about my experiences and there's nothing usual about the God I serve. He alone is the one who can make useful, awesome vessels from pieces of broken pottery. His time of favour is here.