Becky Austin

Bless The Lord

4:00 PM

 


                


Our Reading: Psalm 103, Isaiah 12:3-6, & John 15:10


Perspective and attitude make all the difference. We have not had opportunity to meet with David or engage him in conversation, but he has shown us the deepest essence of his heart. David’s heart was sure of God’s heart and because of that every fiber of his being was grateful and reverent. Worship naturally flowed from his innermost being because he meditated upon and did not take for granted the unmerited blessings God had provided.

“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.” v1-2


Have you ever kept a gratitude journal? Apparently David had that habit for he begins to make a list. Included here:

  • God forgives our iniquities. (v3) David certainly had great iniquities, including adultery and murder and he understood the blessing of forgiveness. Without God’s forgiveness there could be no other blessings at all for we could not have relationship with God. All sin separates us from God and there is nothing we can do to bridge that gap. Only God can make us holy.
  • God heals our diseases. (v3) God does not cure every physical illness or infirmity this side of Heaven. David knew that for God did not spare the life of his infant child. But there is healing in our relationship with God. Only He can heal the pain and affliction of sin upon our hearts, souls, and minds. Sometimes, He may also provide us physical healing in this life.
  • God redeems our life from the pit. (v4) David knew dark places and caves where he had to hide from those who wanted to take his life. God protected him and sustained Him in his darkest days. God can sustain us through our trials as well and provide eternal life for us, sparing us the death we deserve.
  • God crowns us with steadfast love and mercy. (V4) God favors us. We get His abundant never ending, unchangeable love and mercy. We get to be adopted into His royal forever family.


As we continue to read through this Psalm, we see that David is just getting started. He continues to list out the wonders of God and God’s mercy and favor upon man. I think my favorite verses, however, describe the God who is compassionate toward us, remembering that we struggle, and muck things up and can be bratty, and selfish and ungrateful. He remembers our limitations and He is patient with us. We may fail Him many times over but His love is bigger than any of our limitations. 

“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,” (v13‬-‭17‬)


Refection: 

  1. Just reading David’s gratitude list lifts my heart. How about yours? Do you think gratitude is necessary to offer true praise and honor to God?
  2. What would be included in your gratitude list? Do you make a habit of not forgetting God’s goodness and mercy toward you? Do you tell others?
  3. Like a loving father, God disciplines us but He doesn’t give up on us. Does it  encourage you to know that God knows your limitations and loves You anyway? Does that make it easier to repent and seek restoration? 


Prayer: Father, we thank You for Your many blessings and we want to give You praise and adoration that comes from our innermost being. How blessed we are to have a Father who forgives us, disciplines and teaches us and is ever patient and merciful to us. Your forgiveness is beyond our ability to forgive and Your love is beyond our ability to love. May our hearts ever grow to know and trust Your heart. May we join the psalmist in worship: “Bless the Lord, O my soul,”


Becky Austin

No Condemnation (Psalm 103)

10:36 PM



     Sometimes I feel on top of the world. There is a song on my lips and a little pep in my step. I feel close to God and at peace in my soul.  But, there can be other times when I’m down on myself and I feel like I’m just messing up. Maybe I’ve exchanged argumentative words with my husband, snapped at my daughter, grumbled in my soul or doubted God. Sometimes I can feel like I’m not doing such a great job at this “Christian” thing and God must be shaking His head indeed. Has that ever happened to you? Those days of ups and downs in performance, the roller coaster ride with your emotions and how you “feel”?  It’s those low points when Satan can try to drown you in the quicksand of guilt. 
    That’s when it’s important to know and believe the truth of God’s Word. There is a difference between the convicting voice of God’s Spirit and the defeating whispers of Satan who wants to bind you in the chains of guilt. The Holy Spirit is grieved when we do not follow His guidance but His desire is always to reconcile us to God and promote change and spiritual growth so we can be effective ministers of God’s love. In contrast, Satan wants to estrange us from God and make us feel condemnation and unworthiness. 
     Feeling conviction is a good thing. Conviction is meant to be a catalyst for change. As a child of God, we can “ rest” in the truth that we are completely forgiven for our sins.  “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)
Christ’s shed blood was a complete and finished work that covers EVERY sin - past, present, and future! That’s an amazing gift we should cherish!
“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;” (v2-4)
     When the Holy Spirit convicts, it is not to make us feel that God is angry with us or will punish us. God loves us and does not condemn us for our sins. In contrast, He does not see our sins but Christ’s atonement which removes those sins from us. 
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”(v8-12)
    Do you get discouraged and feel that you don’t measure up to God’s expectations? That can be the breeding ground for depression and that binding guilt Satan wants to hold over you. But, this is how God sees you.
“Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” (V13-14) God knows our human limitations and He wants us to rely on His strength and guidance. When we fall, He is there to pick us up and put us back on our feet. He wants the conviction of sin to remind us of our need for Him and to keep us seeking to grow in Christ. 
Sin separated us from God. Christ’s shed blood gave us forgiveness for our sins and reconciled us to God. The Holy Spirit will convict us of sin in our lives as a catalyst for change and spiritual growth. Don’t allow Satan to derail you with lies and guilt. Always turn to Your loving Father who has completely forgiven you and accepted you. He doesn’t accept you because you are perfect and without flaws. He accepts you because His Son is perfect and without flaws!

“The difference between conviction and guilt can be seen in the direction we’re facing. If we’re looking toward the cross, it’s conviction. If we’re running away and hiding, it’s guilt. “Jack Kelley