Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness 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 acts to the sons of Israel.
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
He will not always strive 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 iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions 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 frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.
As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer.
But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children,
To those who keep His covenant And remember His precepts 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 hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will.
Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Psalms 103:1-22 (NASB)
This was my devotion today and I have to tell ya, it gets me every time I read it. So much good stuff in this one little passage. The thing that is most apparent to me though is how good God is. So many times we say "Why do bad things happen to good people?" But the thing is...not one of us is good. Sure we can do good things and may be "good" in the eyes of the world. But to God, our sin is like filthy rags. No one is good.
And YET...He chose to forgive me for all the sins I have committed and will ever commit. I do not deserve any of it. And yet He covers every one of my sins in His blood. He died for me. We say we would die for somebody. But would you? Sure, my husband and my kids. Maybe some extended family and friends. But for someone you never met?
I don't know about you...but I stand in awe, in absolute amazement. Because every time I sin again, I remember what He went through for me. And that's when I read the other line (made popular in a Casting Crowns song that I love) "As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us". Thank you Lord for not casting me aside, for not counting the cost.

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