A HEART OF THANKSGIVING (FOR MY DAILY BENEFITS)

A HEART OF THANKSGIVING (FOR MY DAILY BENEFITS)

My son and I were having a review of this academic year which will end in a few weeks. So the conversation moved to how many times he had been absent from school this year. And he told me he had not been absent at all. Of course I already knew that, after all I got him ready for school most days. I was going somewhere with my question. I then asked him if any of his classmates had been absent. And he mentioned quite a few of them.

Then I said to him that we should be very grateful to God for keeping us all in good health throughout the year. And he agreed with me.

The first few verses of Psalm 103 sum it all up. There are so many benefits we enjoy from our Heavenly Father and it is important for us to not take them for granted.

Verse 1 says “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” When the Psalmist says “All that is within me”; he is saying the sum total of my being, my body, my soul, my mind, my spirit, let ALL, that is, let every single part of me bless the name of the LORD.

In verse 2, he tells us why. “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:” There are benefits in having a relationship with the LORD. And David, the Psalmist begins to enumerate them.

“Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalms 103:3-5 KJV

The LORD forgives all our iniquities. Not one, not some, not a few, not even very many. He forgives ALL our iniquities. To me, ALL, means All iniquities in our past , present and even in our future is forgiven. Let my soul and all that is within me bless the name of the LORD. 

The next reason to bless the LORD is because He heals all our diseases. There is that simple but profound word again ALL. All our diseases. This a very deep truth. A truth that would do us all a world of good if only we would believe it completely. There is no exemption to the ALL. It’s ALL diseases. There was not, there is not and there will never be a disease that the LORD cannot heal. Let my soul and all that is within me bless the name of the LORD.  

The next thing the Psalmist tells us is that the LORD redeems our lives from destruction. To redeem, in simple terms means to buy back. The bible tells us that :“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10 NLT So the LORD has come to save us and buy us back from that theif (the devil) whose primary purpose is to steal, kill and ultimately destroy us. But the LORD will never allow that. We are too precious for that. He saves our lives from every destruction planned for us. Let my soul and all that is within me bless the name of the LORD. 

The LORD crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Our LORD is kind and considerate of us. He is mindful of us. He is filled with compassion for us. He cares for us and to crown it all He is merciful to us. And it is by His mercies that we are not consumed. O let my soul and all that is within me bless the name of the LORD.

And finally, the LORD satisfies our mouths with good things so that our youth is renewed like that of an eagle. This particular verse is power packed. So the first thing to note here is the role that our mouths will play in the renewal of our youth. Our mouths have been satisfied with “Good” things, therfore we must be careful what we say at all times. No cursing, no swearing, no angry or bitter words should be spewing forth from our mouths. Speak beauty, speak joy, laugh with your mouth it does good like medicine. And ladies, watch your skin glow as your face lights up when you make a habit of smiling. Yes indeed! When you speak joy it transforms your energy. We must get rid of all the negative emotion. It drains and wears one out. But the joy of the LORD strengthens. O let my soul and all that is within me bless  the name of the LORD. 

We have too many reasons to bless the LORD. And so today please join me and let us together with hearts of thanksgiving bless the LORD for all our daily benefits.

Let my soul and all that is within me bless His Holy Name. Hallelujah!!! 

OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©