Good morning – There have been a couple of people out of nowhere ask to receive the daily devotionals – I’ve never met them but some of you have shared the morning devotionals with them as a way of sharing Jesus – Who knows? – Maybe someone will end up in a beautiful relationship with Jesus in this life and on into eternal glory because you took 1 minute to pass on a devotional that might help someone else – Mike
We spent the last half of 2020 and the early part of 2021 on Sunday mornings studying some of the precious psalms in the Old Testament. We could have easily spent several more months studying these great spiritual poems as people after God’s heart pour out their own hearts to God. (If interested, you can go to jesus-place.org to watch any of the archived lessons.)
One psalm that I had on my radar that I never presented to you was Psalm 103. It has a beautiful message about God’s great love for us – like the ultimate, compassionate father. He forgives us, not because we deserve it, but because His love is just that great. HOW GREAT IS GOD’S LOVE? His love for us is so great that He doesn’t dole out justice; rather, He extends to us kindness, mercy, and grace. In beautiful poetry David writes that as far as the heavens are above the earth and as far as the east is from the west God removes our sins from us – all because of His great love.
Read the reassuring, hopeful, comforting 103rd psalm. (Personally, I have read parts or all of it 30+ times in the past several months for help and recommend you do the same!) Then listen to How Great Is Your Love by MercyMe. The song is a commentary on Psalm 103. Spend your day meditating how great God’s love is for you.
Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul,
And do not forget any of His benefits;
Who pardons all your guilt,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with favor and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
The Lord performs righteous deeds
And judgments for all who are oppressed.
He made known His ways to Moses,
His deeds to the sons of Israel.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
He will not always contend with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our guilty deeds.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our wrongdoings from us.
Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He Himself knows our form;
He is mindful that we are nothing but dust.
As for man, his days are like grass;
Like a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,
And its place no longer knows about it.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting for those who fear Him,
And His justice to the children’s children,
To those who keep His covenant
And remember His precepts, so as to do them.
The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Mighty in strength, who perform His word,
Obeying the voice of His word!
Bless the Lord, all you His angels,
You who serve Him, doing His will.
Bless the Lord, all you works of His,
In all places of His dominion;
Bless the Lord, my soul!