“Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”  Psalm 103:1-5

Don’t forget His Benefits!!  Even if you must post notes everywhere; let your mind continually think on His benefits.   Even if you must forget other insignificant information to make room, even if you must tie a string on your finger, or set your watch alarm as a reminder!!  Whatever it takes DO NOT FORGET!!!

In order to get the most out of the message of this passage we must grasp the two things I see He is highlighting.  First, He gives us Himself and second He gives us the benefits that come with having Him.  A lot of our problems lie in striving for what we get without first understanding who we get and the value that comes from the who.

You don’t just get forgiveness, you get a God who forgives all your sins.

You don’t just get healing,  you get a God who heals all your diseases.

You don’t just get redemption, you get a God who redeems your life.

You don’t just get crowned with love and compassion, you get a God who crowns you continually with love and compassion.

You don’t just get satisfaction, you get a God who satisfies your desires with good things, and as this actively happens your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Having each of these events happen is a beautiful experience, but having life-giving relationship with the creator of these events is beyond exceptional.  It is the crux of everything we are as believers.  When the world is stripped away and all the fluff is stripped away and all of the things we think we HAVE to have deteriorate and lose their luster we see that all that STUFF doesn’t matter.  What really matters is Him and knowing Him and being known by Him!  And what really matters is relationship and giving and receiving love!

After getting my dream car a few years ago and then watching problem after problem arising from it and the cost of the repairs on it; I gladly let it go!  As silly as it sounds, I came to this epiphany that the car did nothing to change my life…  It couldn’t comfort me during loss, celebrate me, cheer me up, or hold my hand when I was lonely.  Yet I wanted it so badly for years and worked so hard for it…  Why?  In contrast, when we first moved to Houston, my neighbor was struggling and God allowed me to walk through a lot of difficulty in her life with her.  Myself and my neighbors surrounded her and we entered into a beautiful relationship with her that will continue on forever in Christ.  She recently moved and I was so sad to see her go.  She called me on the phone and said that in all her life she had never experienced love like she did from all of us.  We had comforted each other, celebrated each other and were just there for one another.  Now that is what life on this Earth is all about!!!  That is the good stuff!  That is the real beauty of the power of Christ and His love on this Earth!!

Friends, today, remember Him.  Sometimes I just reach over and make a motion like I am grabbing His hand.  Just to sit with Him is such a treasure to me.  Just knowing He is always with me is my greatest comfort.  Let it also be yours today!  No matter what you are facing in your life you are not alone.  He is always there, never forget your greatest benefit of all is Him and as is His nature, you also get to enjoy all of the wonderful ways He shows His love to you!!

Have a beautiful day together!!