Bless The Lord

Psalms 103 begins with  “ 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 compassion;  Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”  

Blessing the Lord is a good thing to do - today and every day.  His mercies are new every morning according the His Word.  This is the day He has made, and we are to rejoice and be glad in it wrote the Apostle Paul. Psalms 91 tells us that when we say of the Lord that He is our Strong Tower and more, He is.   He is good, and no evil comes from Him. 

As we “Bless the Lord” we do remember His benefits - sins forgiven, diseases healed, and then we come to He “who redeems your life from the pit”.  “Pit” is also translated destruction.  That is the line I’m impressed to spend a few moments on today.  In the past few days, we have had earthquakes west and east of us here in Illinois.  We have prediction of a fierce storm hitting the east coast in the next few days as I write this.  We just returned from traveling west and saw the devastation that remains from the Missouri River flooding in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. I have relationship with  persons in the Joplin, MO. area where they were hit with a tornado recently, and are working feverishly to restore daily life.

We seem to hear about these destructive things as they happen, and occasionally for a few days after, but seldom do we hear much about the ongoing struggles.   The destructive things are all around us, not only storms or floods, but such things as divorces, sicknesses, financial issues and much more.  In the midst or our destructive things - whatever they are, let us remember to “Bless the Lord” for He is the one who will deliver us from them.   He is the one who never leaves us nor forsakes us. He is always at work willing and working His good pleasure in us.   The work proceeds well when we remember to Bless Him in the midst of  our daily lives - no matter what is happening on a particular day. 

Scripture tell us we have been redeemed with the precious Blood of Jesus. The price of sin is fully paid and is available to all who will believe it and receive of it.  The wages of sin are death - destruction, confusion, chaos and more are a part of that wage.  Yet, our Creator made a way through Christ to arise in the midst of great troubles and show forth His greatness.

His Word also informs us that troublesome, even perilous times will be part of life on earth before Christ comes again.  Earthquakes, selfishness, hatred and much more are described as part of these days.  Even the earth itself groans waiting for full redemption from the fall of man that originated in Adam - the first one.  The last one - Christ brought deliverance from everlasting death and destruction.

As stated above, we hear of major destructive events often, but do we realize that it  often becomes a long and tedious struggle to be fully delivered from that destruction?  Do we recognize that it is often more difficult in the weeks and months following destructive events than the initial shock was?   Do we, who are of Christ, believe that He really will deliver us from whatever pit we seem to be in today, or will be in tomorrow?  

May I suggest that the time to “Bless the Lord” is today.  Today is the day of Salvation according to Scripture.  Today is the day to remember all of His benefits.  If I remember His benefits each and every day, whenever a destructive thing enters my life, I have hope.  Hope of Christ delivering me from this pit.  The hope provided through His promises becomes a place for His faith to arise and work effectually in my life.

These perilous times are and will be a part of life in this season, yet as we Bless the Lord, we remember His goodness and know that we will be delivered from the pit.  His promise is “I will never leave you nor forsake you”.  I have found that Word to be true. How about you?  Will you Bless the Lord today and every day?  When you do, you to will discover that He really does deliver us from destructive pits and we find peace for our souls day in and day out. 

Take a look at those verses in Psalms 103 on a regular basis and allow the truth contained therein to become a living part of your life.   They are some of the Words in Scripture that bring Life to us and show us His path.  I speak His blessings on each of you today in Jesus name.  Fear no evil, stand strong in the face of every temptation that would lead you away from His path.  Bless the Lord today.