Praise the LORD, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel; The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. Psalm 103:1-8
Have you stopped to consider all that God has done for you? Do you consider all that you have to be gifts from God? Do you know in the depths of your innermost being that God is, that He truly cares for you, that, no matter what you may be going through at the time, you are blessed? How many times have you narrowly avoided an accident? Have you ever considered God’s hand in that? How many times have you faced an important decision and made the right one? Do you see God’s hand in that?
When my son Alex was born, my husband and I had not come to agreement on a name for the baby. We had discussed several, but those he liked I didn’t, and those I liked he didn’t. But the baby didn’t wait for us to agree; he was born. We needed to name him. Finally, I landed on the name Alex and Ed chose the middle name Pierce (a family surname). Whew! We had a name. When we announced it to the family, Ed’s aunt Alice remarked “Now I have two namesakes.” She died of cancer when Alex was 3, still cherishing that he was named for her. Who put the name Alex into my head? Could it have been the Holy Spirit, who knew what I didn’t know – that she would be gone so soon after? I lost three babies before I had Alex. So, having successfully borne him, I quickly became pregnant again. This time we agreed on a name. Continuing to use surnames for middle names, we agreed on “Matthew Curran” for the baby, should it be a boy. Well, he came a month early, but we did have a name for him. However, as I held him, I turned to my husband and said, “I don’t know what a Matthew is supposed to look like, but this kid isn’t it.” He laughed, shrugged and said, “Just pick a name.” So I did. Joshua (Yeshua, or Jesus) and Lambeth, my father-in-law’s first name and his mother’s maiden name. My father-in-law was thrilled that we didn’t saddle the child with Lambeth as a first name, but was quite pleased that his grandson was named for him. Eight months later my father-in-law died unexpectedly. Who told me to change the baby’s name from Matthew? Who had me name him for my father-in-law? Our compassionate, gracious, loving Father in heaven does so much more for us than we can even imagine. He even helps us pick names.
All that we are and all that we have are gifts from His hands. Do we praise him from our very souls for how very good He is to us? Do we praise him for his patience with us? He forgives us, comforts us, lifts us up when we fall and sets us again on our path, heals us in every way that we need healing (physically, mentally, and spiritually), supplies what we need and more. We may fail Him again and again, but He doesn’t fail us. He’s always there for us in whatever we’re going through, always there to guide us if we’re willing to follow, always there to embrace us whether in joy or sorrow.
“Forget not all his benefits” – Have you forgotten them? Look at the list the psalmist gives us, bury it deeply within your heart, and praise Him, praise Him.
Prayer: Lord, at those times when I’m fretful, worried, wallowing, forgive me. Forgive me for all the blessings I take for granted. You are such an awesome loving God — let me never forget that, and let me never cease to praise you for your loving ways and all the blessings I enjoy at you hand, the most important of which is the forgiveness I’ve been given and the hope. Amen.
