Psalm 103:1-12
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 103
Of David. 1 Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Devotion:
Actions. Reactions.
Webster's defines the word action as "a thing done." An action can be anything, right? Standing up, throwing a paper airplane, or texting a friend are all actions. It's simple, really. Anything you do can be considered an action.
On the other hand, a reaction is defined as" a response to some treatment, situation, or stimulus." Basically, a reaction is a response to any action. Want some examples? Think about the actions we listed above. If you were to suddenly stand up in the middle of a nice dinner with your boyfriend or girlfriend, he or she might react with confusion. (or they might look at you like you've lost it.) If you were to throw a paper airplane in the hallway and hit your principle in the eye, his or her reaction would probably spell trouble for you. And if you were texting your friend to tell her that your crush just asked you to the homecoming dance, here reaction would be excitement.
The nature of the reaction depends on the nature of the action.
Read Psalm 103:1-12. This is one of the many Psalms written by David. You know David. The guy that killed the giant. The one who had to hide out from King Saul while Saul tried to kill him. The one who was said to have a "heart like God's." David was an awesome king, undoubtedly the best ruler Israel ever had. He wasn't perfect (You might remember the whole Bathsheba incident.) But he Loved the Lord. And many of his psalms reflect this Love.
If you go back and look at this psalm one more time, you realize something pretty cool. This psalm is all about actions and reactions. David lists some of the amazing things God has done, not just for David, but for the nation of Israel. David says that God forgives sin, heals diseases, satisfies desires, works righteousness for the oppressed, gives freely of His compassion while patiently doling out His anger, and so on, and so on. These are some pretty awesome actions. But what is the reaction?
David makes it clear: His reaction to all of God's actions is to lift up praise and worship to God. The appropriate reaction to God's Love is Love in return. How cool is that?
You have to ask yourself this question: "How have I been responding to all the ways God has shown me love in my life?" If your answer is anything less than giving God the praise He is due, you might need to spend some time examining your heart.
God had done so much for you. His actions demonstrate His Love. Does your reaction demonstrate praise?
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