I love puzzles! I remember family vacations or holidays where my mother, siblings, and both of my grandmothers would take turns huddling around a table working piece by piece to complete our "masterpiece". And it was always an honor (and so rewarding) to place the last piece.
Our relationships with each other and with God are also somewhat of a puzzle. The more I learn about someone, the more their words, actions, and decisions make sense to me. Kind of like putting a puzzle together. The more I learn about God, the more I understand Him, His nature, His attributes, His ways.
These three Psalms are packed with words that describe God.... who He is and what He's done. Miracle after miracle is documented and as a response, the authors simply, but passionately, praise God from the bottom of their souls.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name."
~Psalm 103:1
I've learned through my recent Youtube searches that many verses from Psalms 103 and 104 have been chosen for hymns and praise songs. These two chapters are filled with God's wondrous love, powerful actions, and tender care for his creation. More puzzle pieces.
Psalm 105 has been previously referenced in this blog as the "Cliff Notes" version of the Israelites' history, escape from Egypt, and entering the Promised Land. I certainly appreciate this much more after having read all of the details in the first few books of the Bible. More puzzle pieces.
God is still the same today as then. He is still in complete control. He still maintains His creation. He still provides for His children. He still loves us unconditionally. Take a few minutes to watch this video, be still, and allow your heart to hear what God shares in Psalm 103. Then respond with Praise!
I certainly felt David's passion in his words. They are wonderful songs of praise! May my heart be as joyful today.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if any of you do as I do when I come across a verse that is used in a song. I automatically start singing. I also enjoyed reading the early beginnings of the Israelites over again.
ReplyDeleteAs you were talking about puzzles it reminded me of my son, who is three, putting a puzzle together. I watched him figure out each piece, turning it, and trying to make the matches. I think of how it takes experience to know how to put a puzzle together and to get experience we have to exercise patience. All these things are part of our spiritual maturity as well. Great post Terry! I am enjoying putting the puzzle together too. God is SO GOOD!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that song of praise with us Terry. I just love to sing praises to the Lord.
ReplyDeleteI loved your post Terry. The verse in Psalm 103 jumped out at me today. "Praise the Lord o my soul and forget not all His benefits." How much my Lord has done for me and my family. I need to remember to give Him praise for all He has done and quit asking for "more, and more."
ReplyDeleteI too love puzzles. Growing up in the mountains of NC in the winter my Mother would put up a card table and my whole family would work on beautiful scenes of those 1,000 piece puzzles all winter. And eat popcorn!!
Yes, Boots, I automatically start singing too. I've been singing "Bless the Lord.... Oh my soul... and all that is within me, bless His holy name" for a few days now :)
ReplyDeleteLOVE the puzzle idea Terry! When I was younger, I would of course put together HORSE puzzles. :) I would love the picture so much that I would use puzzle glue to keep it together and hang it up in my room. That is like God the Father putting the puzzle pieces of my life together and then holding it together with the "glue" of Jesus! What a GREAT visual of our relationship with the Lord! I want to throw in with you and Boots that I start singing songs a lot as I am reading some of the Psalms because SO MANY of the contemporary Christian songs are pulled from this wonderful book, as your link to that beautiful song so beautifully displays! Thanks for a fantasitcally creative post Terry!!!
ReplyDelete