Soul–bless the Lord!
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and propecia rezeptfrei bestellen deutschland compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. Psalm 103:1-5
Benefits. All over the nation, people are worried about losing their benefits. Millions have already lost theirs. Several million more have lost their jobs. Others have never had any benefits at all. And some of those who do receive benefits are facing pay cuts. Our nation is in a benefit crisis. And that’s not even the greatest issue facing us!
The overhauling of the healthcare system in the United States has solved a few problems; however, it has created a multitude of other problems that we’ll just have to wait until it gets implemented to find out about all of them (to paraphrase a certain representative from California who will remain unnamed). For the last several months, more and more information is being made available about this massive legislation and its effects. Yet even now, less than two months before the exchanges open on October 1st, prices for the various mandatory insurance products are either missing or are next to impossible to find on the government website sponsoring it (and I’ve looked). As a result, the adults of this nation are like grain thrown into the air to fall back down into the winnowing basket, only to be tossed up again and again and again.
A sense of disturbance and lack of balance seems to permeate the atmosphere over the nation. Equilibrium and the comforting sense of sameness are being challenged and toppled. Change is good, we hear, yet if it is, why do so many Americans feel utterly disoriented?
Ready or not, here we come. This is the mix into which we are being tossed, and all of us have major decisions to make. Most of the choices before us are neither desirable nor comfortable, but one choice—one glowing, life-giving, sustaining choice—stands alone, immovable in the storm called Change swirling around us.
“…I am the Lord, I change not” (Malachi 3:6a). Standing rock-solid in the midst of the upheaval rolling in on every wave is the One who is the same, yesterday, today, and forever (see Hebrews 13:8). He is the Ancient of Days and levitra schweiz ohne rezept has witnessed the beginning and end of each generation as well as the rise and fall of every kingdom and empire. And it is to Him alone that we are ultimately accountable.
The psalmist David experienced more than his share of chaos and upheaval. Although he became the king of Israel, he was not immune to conflict, turmoil, and challenge—even while on the throne.
Psalm 103 was born in the heart of this man very familiar with difficulties and trials. When David wrote it, he was speaking to himself, not God. Let this truth sink in. David was commanding himself to bless the Lord.
You, too, in the face of the various complexities of your life, have the choice before you: bless the Lord. Here’s how it might play out within your soul.
Soul, bless the Lord. Bless Him whether you feel like it or not. Yes, emotions, that includes you, too. Mind, bless God! Will, bless the Lord! You don’t feel like it? I didn’t ask you if you felt like it! Just do it–bless the Lord! All that is within me—mind, feelings, dreams, desires, hopes, fears, concerns, gifts, talents, dysfunctions—all that is within me, bless His holy name! (And by the way, devil, if you insist on tagging along, I’m going to be blessing the Lord. It won’t be very comfortable for you. Too bad, so sad!)
As David directed his soul yet again to bless the Lord in verse 2, he instructed himself to go a step further. Not only did he insist that he bless the Lord, but he commanded himself to forget none of God’s benefits.
David had both a clear understanding of his dependence on God and an unashamed recognition of his need to force himself to focus on the Lord and acheter du viagra a montpellier His benefits.
As a Christian in this tumultuous, changing time in our nation, I challenge you to challenge yourself to bless the Lord. I challenge you to daily stake out the territory of your mind, your will, and your emotions for honoring God. I challenge you to do it without first consulting with your emotions or circumstances to get permission. Just do it!
Are you concerned about your benefits? I challenge you to join me daily this week as we search out every one of the benefits listed in the first five verses of Psalm 103, and I believe that if you do, you will gain confidence that the One who sees the end from the beginning will, indeed, care for you.
Bless the Lord!
Dorothy