Much Needed Talk At

Read Psalm 103

When I was a teen, my Mom would call me into her room and tell me it was time for a “talk at.”  That meant she talked; I listened.  Psalms 103 tells us that we need to sit down and have a long “talk at” with ourselves.  Here is what needs to be said:

1. Blessing God is a choice.  It needs to flow from the heart, but begins as a conscious act of the will.  When it is an emotional response, it is easier.  When it is a choice, it has meaning.
2. Recalling the blessings and benefits requires being intentional.  It is impossible to deliberately forget something. That happens when it is no longer a point of focus. What has your attention: the blessings and benefits, or the burdens of this day?
3. God forgave and forgives. We can get caught up in the past, the again, and the present failures. We beat ourselves up with our constant short fallings. He extends to us inclusive forgiveness: ALL – each and every.  Release it all to His sufficient grace.
4. God is actively making us whole.  He wants to personally address the pains and sufferings of heart, mind, body and soul.  He bore our grief; He carried our sorrows; and the wounds He endured bring us healing. (Isaiah 53:4,5)   Once again there is inclusiveness.  We need to allow Him access to the wounded places in our lives.
5. He redeems.  He paid with His life the price of redemption, buying us out of slavery to sin and death.  That redemption extends into the pits of despair and discouragement. Working all things for good (Romans 8:28), He gives all of life value, even when we can find none.
6. He “crowns” us with lovingkindness and compassion.  Abar literally means to encircle or surround.  It refers to the placing of a circular band of gold or a wreath on the head of someone being honored or blessed.  Because He is all of these and sees great value in us, He desires to surround us, especially our minds, with Himself.
7. He satisfies our deepest longings with a goodness that far exceeds the value of any “thing.”  It is a goodness that defines all God is and does (Exodus 33:19; Psalm 31:19; Ephesians 5:9).  He satisfies our soul with Himself.  Settling for anything less will result in dissatisfaction.
8. He renews our youth. The Message says, “You’re always young in His presence.”  In Him our youth is constant. “Though the outer man is decaying, the inner man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)  Feeling old is focusing on the wrong reality.
9. Everything God does has the distinct purpose of righteousness – a pure and right relationship with Him.  The word translated “perform” is asah: to do something intentionally, with a set purpose.  He never stops working (John 5:17) on having a dynamic relationship with us.
10. He is our advocate when life is not fair.
11. He is an open book – literally! He wants us to know Him.  Who He is, what He does, what He desires - His heart and mind - are written on the pages of His word. If we really want to know Him, we need to know the Bible.
12. God is compassionate and gracious. The Message reads: “God is sheer mercy and grace.”  Those are going to be His fingerprints on every thing as He involves Himself in our lives. Look for them.
13. He doesn’t get angry quickly.  He is not easily provoked.  He is incredibly gracious.  He disciples ignorance and disciplines insolence.  It is always about what is best for us.
14. He is rich in love.  It is who He is (1 John 4:16). Every thought, every action, every every exudes a love (agape) that always chooses to care and prioritize our well-being.
15. When the Holy Spirit scolds and convicts, it is because it is needed and deserved. It is always timely, appropriate and balanced. He will never use it in unrestrained power to cower and dominate.
16. He rightfully gets angry, but He doesn’t hold a grudge. His loves, forgiveness and grace are complete.
17. He does not deal with us as we truly deserve.  Grace always prevails!
18. There is never “pay back” with God. His grace is freely given, even though it cost Him the ultimate price.  There is never an “IOU” with God.
19. His love and grace is immeasurable.  When we foolishly entertain the thought that “He can’t love me because …” or that His grace is insufficient for this need, we shortchange God and all of Himself He has for us. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
20. He holds on to us, not our shortcomings.  Actually He removes our failures, sins and screw-ups as far from us as opposite can be.  Redemption of a failure is as opposite as you can get from condemnation: from destructive to useful; from ungodly to glorifying.
21. He is a loving Father, and we are His precious children.  That role defines all He is and does in our lives.  We can trust Him wholeheartedly to protect, provide, discipline, train, care, and so forth.
22. He knows us inside and out.  This includes our limitations and inadequacies.  When He asks of us more than we are, we can rely on Him to provide all that is lacking. (2 Corinthians 3:5,6; 2 Timothy 3:16,17)  He does incredible things with dust!
23. This is all temporary.  But God and all He is, especially His love for us is forever and always.
24. His investment in our lives is so that we reap all the benefits and blessings He has for us.  It is for us, but more than us. He wants to bless others through us. God is profuse in His pouring out His love and grace.
25. He IS King of all!  He is in charge.  He is in control.  He is in a position of power.
26. We are His doing, His work.  All we are and all we do is because of who He is and all He does.  We need to respond with blessing Him with our words and being a blessing to Him with our lives.

Making It Personal

Which of these do you need to specifically tell yourself at this time in your life?

Stop and take time to “Bless the Lord, O my soul!” using the guideline of Psalm 103.