Forget Not All His Benefits

Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits

My hubby and I were talking over the weekend about some things that he’s realizing that are making me realize things as well. Things about our view of God – who He is, who He says He is, what He says He will do. This baby, this #4, is the first one “we’ve planned” for. The first one that we’ve been thinking, yeah, let’s have another. All of them were in the mind of our Creator, all of them were planned by Him – but we didn’t really TRY for it, lol. We tried for this one. We prayed first. And then we tried. And without realizing it, both of us somewhat “expected” that it was going to take some work. The Lord had already blessed us with 3 children, why should he bless us with another – just because we wanted it?

And then a couple weeks went by and there it was, a great big ol’ positive. Just like that. With grateful hearts we await the arrival of this child, as we have eagerly waited for every one of them. And in the praying, the waiting, the rejoicing, our view of who God is is also changing.

I was reading in Psalm 91 yesterday and verses 14-16 really caught my attention.

14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. 15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honour him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.

God is not far off – he is right here, amongst his people, loving on us and caring for us, protecting us. Yet too often I am tempted to view him as aloof, and ready to strike me for my sin or withhold something from me to teach me a lesson. But that is not who God is. God is patient, loving, gentle, long-suffering, ever-pursuing my heart. I want the Lord to be my dwelling place, my refuge, and I REALLY want to see him as my EVER PRESENT help in trouble.

I know this will be reflected in my attitude toward problems that arise, struggles that I experience, and how I handle them – do I turn to him first in prayer? Or inward in frustration.

I cannot help but marvel at how God has blessed us, and be ashamed at how little appreciation I show for it – in my attitudes of complaint, and in my misunderstanding of Who God is and how He works. But I know that as I seek Him more, my view of him will grow and my understanding of Him will mature.

Lord, help me to have a deeper understanding and knowledge of who you are as Lord and SAVIOUR, my refuge and my dwelling place, the One in whom I place my trust and seek my satisfaction.

Counting to 1,000 Gifts

416. Psalm 103:3-5 “Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

417. Psalm 119:97 “Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

418. Children’s hearts slowly turning toward God

419. Praying for my boys every day