10,000 Reasons. When I hear this I see 11 boys sitting on the hard floor of an orphanage in India. I see them beaming from ear to ear and lifting up the name of the Lord. I hear their beautiful voices singing, "Jesus, I will worship your Holy name" a Capella. I feel my heart fill with so much joy I can barely contain it and I feel my eyes brim over with tears. I imagine their loss, their heartache, and their pain but I see our mighty God prevail through this all. I see joy and I see victory over our broken world.
Psalm 103.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
During this season of joy and family and snow and presents and celebrating Christ's birth I have so much to be thankful for. I'm thankful for the moment on that orphanage floor I just described. I'm thankful for all the Lord taught me in India. I'm thankful for a wonderful, crazy family that loves me so dearly. I'm thankful for an addition to the family coming in May. I'm thankful for Northwestern, my youth group, my friends who love me at my worst, and so much more. But above all else I'm thankful for the cross. I'm thankful that even if I didn't have anything else, I have the promise of being a beloved daughter of the King. So during this season I will try to remember the 10,000 Reasons I have to bless the Lord.
I miss your posts.
ReplyDeleteDuring our service at church last Sunday, Psalm 103 was read in the midst of our worship. This beautiful promise of His love to us. When the reader reached verse 17 it brought me to my knees sobbing, literally. I have two teenagers and although we have "worshiped" in church together their whole lives during the last couple of years they have been struggling with where they are with God. This last Sunday I was blessed to spend the morning with my 15 year old daughter on my left and my 16 year old son on my right in abandoned worship of our gracious and loving Savior. He is so good and HE keeps His promises.
I remembered that you had posted this psalm in your blog and felt led to share this with you.
Still looking forward to the day you come to California for a visit and I can actually meet you.
May your day be filled with His glorious presence.