Tuesday, March 31, 2009

March 31 Palms Presbyterian E-Devotional

Palms Lenten Devotional March 31st

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless God's holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all God's benefits-
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit?
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like eagles.....
The Lord has established a throne in the heavens,
and a kingdom that rules over all.
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do God's bidding,
obedient to the spoken Word.
Bless the Lord, all hosts,
ministers that do the will of God
Bless the Lord, all God's works,
in all places of God's dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.

(selected verses)


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Seven times in this psalm we find the word bless. But it seems much more than a finding. The psalmist claims faith....calling to God for a blessing. The psalmist is both praising God from a place deep inside and calling the congregation (now us) to bless the Lord. And beyond the profession of blessing and call to blessing, there is a finger pointing (and the finger is pointed in our faces) going on. All the "who" questions remind me of a coach giving a locker room talk---

Who forgave all your iniquities?
Who healed your diseases?
Who raised you from the Pit?
Who loves you?
Who shows mercy to you?
Who will satisfy you as long as you live?
Who?
Who?
Your parents?
Your friends?
Your teammates?
Your spouse?
Your co-workers?Your children?
Who?
Who?

And who is it that does that not only for you, but for your parents, your friends, your teammates, your spouse, your co-workers, your children? And beyond all that: Who is it that has done all those things since the beginning of time and throughout time and in all the time that is to come? Bless the Lord. Only One. God even breaks through time and space as we know it. Generation to generation. "For as the heavens are high above the earth....as far as the east is from the west.....as a father has compassion for his children" so great the steadfast love, the forgiveness and the compassion are of God.

The psalmist is establishing the dominion of God. All that you can imagine. Through all time and through all space. That is the dividing line of God's kingdom. Basically a circle has been drawn that includes everything and person through all time and even that circle is not big enough because we drew it.

So, then, the question for today is: whom will you serve?

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Please pray with me: Lord, You are so much more than we can imagine. Your circle is ever wider than we can draw. Your love is more complete than we can comprehend. Spark our imagination. Widen our circle. Give us the love of the psalmist as we bless you. Amen.

Peace, Laurie

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