1 “Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits;
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness
and tender mercies.
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagles.
Psalm 103:1-5. NKJV.
Aren’t you thankful for God’s mercies being new every day?
I sure am.
The Psalm I read today is the one we hear each time we take part in the Lord’s Supper at our church.
Maybe your church reads it out loud too?
It is a reminder for each of us not to forget what God has done for us through Jesus Christ dying on the cross to take our sin away!
What comfort to the soul!
Are you like David and convicted of the sins you have done against God?
Deep in your soul you are. Perhaps it stays with you as unrepented guilt and heaviness?
The devil would like it if we stayed in bondage to our sin all our lives. But God tells us in Psalm 103 and many other places in the Bible that our sins have been forgiven as far as the east is from the west! That means infinitely!
Naturally for our sins to be forgiven we must include an important factor. Have we said sorry to God or as the Bible teaches us to “repent” and receive forgiveness? It is easy to do because as Psalm 103 tells us God gives us mercy, more mercy than we or others give ourselves sometimes!
What does you sin history look like? God remembers our sins no more. Aren’t you thankful for that?
But don’t forget the repentance part and I won’t either.
As I teen I had one burden I carried for a long time. I asked God for forgiveness but to make it right I also had to go to my parents and apologize. And I did. Then all was well with my soul.
As an adult, there have been many black marks on my record. I don’t compare myself with others but I’m guessing it is the same for you? Unless you are one of the frozen chosen who has no sin and that is a false belief so we might as well set that record straight.
I have gone to the Lord’s Supper not knowing if I should take part in it. I know I am not worthy to come on my own accord. There are times I have grappled heavily with my own sin, but just as David says in Psalm 103 let us remember these words… “and forget not all His benefits; Who redeems your life from destruction…” Oh yes if left to ourselves we would have self-destructed by now.
Even if you have reached rock bottom God promises to “redeem your life from the pit…” That could be the pit you or someone else has helped you dig.
The good news is as we go to Christ in repentance and faith, He forgives our sins; He redeems our lives; he heals our sicknesses (sins), He satisfies us with good things and renews our strength and how lovely is this…” He crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies!”
Yes, we have all messed up, and as we turn to God for help, He makes us realize the depth of our sin, and He whispers His tender mercies and forgiveness over us. We may have to live with the ramifications of our sins, no one ever said there wouldn’t be consequences.
David’s family was divided and fragmented when he sinned blatantly against God by committing adultery and murder. Yes, he was forgiven, but he had to live with those consequences all his life, and he accepted God’s will.
Regardless of our sin record we can all delight in God’s mercies which are new every day as we take our misery and sin to the foot of the cross and find rest for our souls.
I invite you to repent and be set free from your sin. It is the only way to find freedom and life.
For me and probably most of the readers here, we will do the same. Peace is worth it. God’s mercies are from everlasting to everlasting. God is good.
“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him…”
Psalm 103:17a.
Wishing you rest for your soul today, and every day.
Liz.