Psalm 103

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 iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.  - Psalm 103:1-5

I love holidays! I really like the holidays that involve gift giving though. I mean, really, what's a holiday without some presents. Birthdays, Christmas, Valentines Day, Easter...we do presents on all of them. See I like to give gifts. I spend time thinking and listening to my family. They will unknowingly drop hints of what they need or want and I store it in my mind. Then when the holiday comes around, boom! What they wanted is right there waiting to be unwrapped. The joy on their faces makes it so worth it. It truly brings me great joy to do that.

This Psalm is really all about God and His steadfast love for us despite the fact that we don't deserve it. He forgives us. He loves us. He restores us. He gives us good gifts.

It says that He crowns us with steadfast love and mercy. That means that we get His love that lasts. It's not conditional on us keeping it. It's not conditional on our returning it. It's steadfast. Consistent. And never failing. We also get His mercy, which can be applied in a lot of different ways. I just am thankful that means that I don't get what I deserve. God is merciful.

In the NLT translation, verse 5 says, "He fills my life with good things." I love the way that reads. When I think about the blessings and undeserved gifts in my life, it's just so true. He has filled my life with good things. Things that I don't deserve.

See, I love holidays. I think it's because it reminds me of all the incredible gifts God has given. That He shows me what it means to listen as He listens to me. He knows my needs and wants, and fills my life with good things. Many times they are better than I thought I needed.

To be clear, I don't mean that I pray for a new car and I get a new Bentley. I mean that when I pray for my wife, I not only get to see God work in her, but it creates a deeper love for her in my heart. That's an unexpected blessing that comes along with the gift of God loving my wife.

Where has God crowned you with love and mercy? What good gifts does he continually give you? Where have you seen Him answer prayer with unexpectedly and abundantly more?

Praise His name! He is worthy. It's to His good will that He does those things because He loves you! Love in that today, church!

Charlie

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