Friday, April 15, 2005

Today Our Daily Bread Ps 103

Psalms 103: 1 - 22
1 O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I'll bless his holy name! 2 O my soul, bless God, don't forget a single blessing! 3 He forgives your sins - every one. He heals your diseases - every one. 4 He redeems you from hell - saves your life! He crowns you with love and mercy - a paradise crown. 5 He wraps you in goodness - beauty eternal. He renews your youth - you're always young in his presence.

6 God makes everything come out right; he puts victims back on their feet. 7 He showed Moses how he went about his work, opened up his plans to all Israel. 8 God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he's rich in love. 9 He doesn't endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever. 10 He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs. 11 As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is his love to those who fear him. 12 And as far as sunrise is from sunset, he has separated us from our sins. 13 As parents feel for their children, God feels for those who fear him. 14 He knows us inside and out, keeps in mind that we're made of mud. 15 Men and women don't live very long; like wildflowers they spring up and blossom, 16 But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly, leaving nothing to show they were here. 17 God's love, though, is ever and always, eternally present to all who fear him, Making everything right for them and their children 18 as they follow his Covenant ways and remember to do whatever he said.
19 God has set his throne in heaven; he rules over us all. He's the King! 20 So bless God, you angels, ready and able to fly at his bidding, quick to hear and do what he says. 21 Bless God, all you armies of angels, alert to respond to whatever he wills. 22 Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are - everything and everyone made by God. And you, O my soul, bless God!
The Message
~Lena's Comments~
I hear a lot "It flows from the head down, and what goes with the head, also goes with the body". Even in the natural that has to be the case. I was just thinking that, if our minds are in Christ and God, so much that we declare His praise as this Psalmist is, our whole bodies will also follow in praise, and health, and in the goodness of God, etc. Because my mind is in a sound state, it is all well with me.
I love the Lord so much, yes because He cared enough, thought of me enough, and loved me [first] enough to make the changes in me that would cause me even to see myself as He does, beginning to see His reflection in me. We are NOT mistakes, We are miracles in His hand. I love the places He’s taken me from. The doom, He’s rescued me from, even those instances I’ll never know. Thank God. Because I try to know Him more and more, I’ll never know the effects of my choices for sin, rather than choosing God!
Seriously, I’d rather fear God than find myself in the place that my arrogant heart would take me.
Maria!!!- LOOK at verse 13!!!. We ARE God’s children and he absolutely loves us and cares for us as NO earthly parent ever could, and there are some great earthly examples of parents (no, let’s NOT mention any bad ones!)
We have so little time here to get this "right" revelation, of who He is, of who we are, of what we are here for and what we are to do while we are here such a short time. We spend far too much time on the so insignificant parts of life with NO meaning. Strife is one of the largest time wasters. Love is the best time spender. It brings out the highest values of life and the living. It actually will bring them to realize the brevity of their own days and that every moment is an opportunity to show forth Him!
"Angels" are ambassadors and messengers on earth. We are "angels" if we also join in the delivery of this message God has placed the responsibility of in our hands. Do what He says, Bless God, be alert to respond to His will, Tune in – Melinda and whosoever will. God wills. Do these things right where we are at. Yes right there is where God has you, right now, to do His will, and everywhere else you’ll go, He’ll ask you and expect you to do His will. Our souls must adjust, for our own good, for the good of others and for God’s greater good (the earth’s greater good). If our souls bless we will be blessed, healthy and IN Him.