Thanksgiving, joy, and love...

Today's Readings: Psalms 105-106

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:

"Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness." Psalm 105:1a
"Give thanks to the Lord for he is good! His faithful love endures forever." Psalm 106:1b
"Save us, O Lord our God! Gather us back from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you." Psalm 106:47
These three verses have been stuck in my head all day. I don't know if it is because they, like so many other verses in the Psalms, are reminiscent of hymns and praise songs or if I need a reminder of why I need to be thanking the Lord. I love how thankfulness, love, joy and praise are all tied up in a neat little package right in these two chapters.

"There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right." Psalm 106:3
"Let me rejoice in the joy of your people;" Psalm 106:5a
These two verse seemed to be calling to me about keeping unity with other Christians and how we are one family.

"He remembered his covenant with them and relented because of his unfailing love." Psalm 106:45
Even after Israel had rebelled against God time and time again, he continued to rescue them and always remembered his covenant with them -- unfailing love.

My response to God: Lord, I want to thank you now for your unfailing love, even when I rebel and sin against you. Please send down your spirit to guide me back into the joy and love that can only come from you.

Joy in all things

Today's Readings: Psalms 98-100, 102, 104

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:

"Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King!" Psalm 98:6b
When I read this, it reiterated how we are supposed to work joyfully together. We are to worship and praise together. We are to be a people of God.

"O Lord our God, you answered them (Israel). You were a forgiving God to them, but you punished them when they went wrong." Psalm 99:8
This verse was difficult for me. I like the part that says that our God is a forgiving God and that he answers us. What is hard is the punishment part. I think it is easy for us to get in that place where we just see God as the one we worship, the one who loves us, the faithful one. We tend not to discuss the part where he disciplines us when we go astray, much less that he would (gasp) punish us. But, that is exactly what he did so many times in Israel and Judah's case. Just as we are responsible for the discipline of our children, our Father in heaven is responsible for the discipline of his children -- us.

"Your fame will endure to every generation." Psalm 102:12b
This reminded me of all the centuries that God has remained in the forefront of the life of men and women. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

"He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas." Psalm 102:17
He is faithful!

"Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord." Psalm 102:18
That term people not yet born was the one that stuck out to me. I was that person not yet born that the Word was recorded for so that I, too, could be a recipient of the grace of our Lord.

"Let all that I am praise the Lord." Psalm 104:1a
ALL! That means that every part of my being can be praising the Lord. All.

"The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made!" Psalm 104:31b
It is so thrilling and refreshing to know that I can bring pleasure to the Lord.

My response to God: Lord, make me an instrument of joy. Help me to share your love and discipline with others so that we can be that joyful symphony of praise to you.

Teach and Reach

Today's Readings: Psalm 92-97

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:

"Joyful are those you discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions." Psalm 94:12
Something about the wording in this particular verse -- they way he uses the word discipline -- was just so comforting. That word had gotten such a bad rap that it is nice to see it in this context where it is clear that it means teaching not beating. The discipline from the Lord brings us joy and we should look forward, even search out the teaching. Oh, and I love the use of the word instructions. What else could it be, but....the Word.

"Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care." Psalm 95:6-7
I love music and I just get so excited that music can help me to learn scripture. This is yet another set of verses, set to music, that we use to worship our Lord during church services. I wonder how many people realize that they are learning scripture when they are learning new songs!

"Tell all the nations, 'The Lord reigns!'" Psalm 96:10a
This spoke to me as yet another reminder to spread the word of the Lord...from Redland to the ends of the earth.

"He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth." Psalm 96:13b
This was just a reminder to me that our God is just and fair and that he is the only Truth.

My response to God: Lord, please continue to work on me, teach me and bring me the joy that comes with the knowledge that comes from your instruction. Guide me to use that knowledge to reach out to others.

All day long

Today's Readings: Psalm 1-2, 10, 33, 48-49, 71,84-85, 87, 91

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:

"A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked...O Lord of Heaven's Armies, what joy for those who trust in you." Psalm 84:10, 12
This was at the beginning of today's reading and it just brought a smile to my face, as so many verses do that are the reference to praise and worship songs we sing at church. I love the verse and I love the song, but more so, I love the Lord that is being referenced.

But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night." Psalm 1:2
Again, it was just the perfect verse for today, but, aren't they all? This is the verse that was the inspiration for the name of this blog, and is the constant reminder that meditation on the Word should be ongoing.

"But the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love...Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone" Psalm 33:18, 22 "O Lord, you alone are my hope." Psalm 71:5a
Even though these two verses are in different chapters, they just fit so well together and reminding me that he is the one to depend on and is our hope.

Snippets from Psalm 71:
"I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long." verse 8
"All day long I will proclaim your saving power." verse 15
"I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do." verse 17
"I will tell of your righteous deeds all day long." verse 24
All of these verses just jumped out at me, reminding me that our praise of him should be constant, all day long, never ceasing.

My response to God: Lord, continue to give me a deep, strong desire in my heart for your Word. Make me strong to declare your glory, proclaim your power, and tell others about your righteous deeds all day long.