Scripture text for Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010: Psalm 103:1-103:22
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As I sit here feeling like mud on the bottom of your shoe, I find it extremely difficult to focus on writing this devotional. Nausea, chills, fever and fatigue woke me up this morning for the 4th day in a row, and so my prayers have been a little self-centered lately. With that, I must say that it’s interesting that a segment of today’s scripture passage from The Message reads like this:
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.
How fitting, huh? Therefore, I persist. God knew exactly how I would feel this morning and nicely worded it in his scriptures.
The psalmist says that we are called to praise him in ALL things—but sometimes we just don’t feel like it. It leaves us in a bit of a quandary. Consequently, I think it is okay to feel that way, but I know it’s not okay to act that way. God deserves our worship, regardless of our circumstances and in every situation He blesses us in ways we may not understand.
I’ve been blessed lately. I have watched others deal with much bigger issues recently, and I am humbled by their perseverance. It makes my illness seem like small potatoes. I’m reassured as I climb back into bed knowing that their hope came from this same loving God.
6 God makes everything come out right; he puts victims back on their feet.
Devotion prepared by Cristy Arvin
To bless him with all that
To bless him with all that is within me? That's serious business. With everything I have? Everything? Every waking moment, every thought, every step. At work, at home, with my family, without my family, in my breathing, in my eating.... It's a life spent walking in him I'm finding. It can't be anything but personal, with the God of creation. Despite the earthquakes and devistation, he is still right here with Andrew, listening, walking and leading me. That is unfathomable, unless you've actually felt him in those steps. Then you know it to be true.
My American Standard Bible says in verse 10 'he has not dealt with us according to our sins'.
That in and of itself is worth every bit of praise I can give him. Even if it means a lifetime of ridicule, or poverty, pain, being set apart from the world, it is deserved. He lets it all go, and covers me in loving kindness.
But can I welcome it everyday? Can I welcome the valleys, knowing that God is in them as much as he is my successes? When I'm in the pit, can I smile and say 'that's ok God, whatever you have for me I'm in.'
Sadly, I forget. I get discouraged and simply forget all the things he has done for me. Then I read about the Isrealites, and say 'Really Guys? He just split the Red Sea, and you're already are worshipping other gods?' It's this fallen world, and our inability to just give it all to God. This psalm allows me to do that again. To just fall back and let him catch me without looking, like I did in the summers of my youth playing in the water with my dad.
13Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
I'm reminded of God not only seeing and recognizing my tragedies but 'feeling' them right along with me.
Every verse of this psalm has enough reason to praise for a lifetime!
Thank you God, for my life, let everyday be a psalm of praise that I sing back to you.
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