#Psalm reflection

[mindfulldsliving]

The Infinite Nature of Forgiveness: Lessons from Psalm 103

Psalm 103 is a timeless piece of poetry that resonates deeply with themes of forgiveness, gratitude, and divine mercy. As we explore its context, we'll dive into the historical background of the era in which it was crafted and uncover the life experiences

Forgiveness Explored: Psalm 103’s Profound Distance Imagery In Psalm 103:12, forgiveness is portrayed with a beautiful metaphor that stretches as far as the east is to the west. This passage highlights a profound promise of divine forgiveness that offers not just pardon but a complete removal of our sins. Imagine a horizon so vast, it signifies an infinite distance—this is the assurance we find…

[thomastanker02]

Christianity is not about taking the moral high ground, and thanking God that we aren’t horrible sinners like the rest of the world.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Becoming a follower of Christ means becoming more aware of our failures, and of how we fall short of God’s holy standard. It’s a life of acknowledging that we can’t get to heaven on our own, and giving our lives to the only one who can make us righteous before God.

It’s when we do this that, while we don’t become lights of the world, we are able to point to the one who is.

His light fills us to the brim, to the point where we run over. This is how Jesus continues to shine his light in this dark world, through his children.

We are not the light, but are called to be witnesses of the light. We are called to carry out the deeds of our Father in the light, because he is the light. What is done in the light, cannot be done in darkness.

This means that we must live holy, as he is holy. We must let his light shine in this world, because it desperately needs to hear his message. This world of darkness must be lit up with the fire of the Holy Spirit.

The Christian life is a life of imitating Christ the Lord. His love that he has shown us both on the cross, and in how he lived his life, demands a life long response. It’s through our humbleness before him that we become the lanterns of the Holy Spirit to shine in this world of darkness and decay.

The Christian life is not a life of perfection or self righteousness, but a life of constant repentance and humility before the Lord. It’s acknowledging the futility of trying to be righteous in our own, and letting his righteousness flow through us.

We can’t let the light shine if we dim it with the mask of our self righteousness. God is trying to call those around us to himself, not to his to servants.

It’s through Christ we are saved, not ourselves or our works.

Let’s start acting like it.

God bless, Jesus loves you ✝️❤️

[bringthekingdom]

[amymichael7]

Psalm 64

[apenitentialprayer]

It would be still worse if they said Tommy ought to let Charles have the pencil whether it belonged to him or not, because it would show he had a nice disposition. That may be true, but it is an untimely truth. An exhortation to charity should not come as rider to a refusal of justice. It is likely to give Tommy a lifelong conviction that charity is a sanctimonious dodge for condoning theft and whitewashing favoritism.

C.S. Lewis (Reflections on the Psalms, page 21)

[heartoflesh]

When I think about the Lord's great work, not only in my life but in life around me, I can be nothing but grateful. I am reminded of the David and Psalm 40:1-3 that says, "I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many wll see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him."

We all struggle. No one is exempt from having afflictions in this world, but how great is it that we can take heart, for Jesus has overcome the world! (John 16:33 paraphrased)

I am a sinner made righteous by the blood of the lamb! Our great high priest! Not because I deserve it or can earn it, but because the Lord is good and gracious. I just want to make Him known, spread His good news and the love that He has so kindly extended to me.

[nathan-r-dooley]

Psalm 31 | A Prayer of Trust in Times of Trouble

Seeking Refuge in God “In You, Lord, I have taken refuge;Let me never be put to shame;In Your righteousness rescue me.Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;Be a rock of strength for me,A stronghold to save me.For You are my rock and my fortress;For the sake of Your name You will lead me and guide me.” A Declaration of Trust “You will pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for…

[andreai04]

All we have ever known is a life of human design, from our bodies to our work to the buildings we are housed in. We thank you for not keeping us here against our will, and we mean no disrespect to your offer, but it is our wish to leave your cities entirely, so that we may observe that which has no design—the untouched wilderness.

But there was a gravity to leaving a place for good, a deep sense of seismic change.

Nobody in the world knows where I am right now, they thought, and the notion of that filled them with bubbling excitement. They had canceled their life, bailed out on a whim. The person they knew themself to be should've been rattled by that, but someone else was at the helm now, someone rebellious and reckless, someone who had picked a direction and gone for it as if it were of no more import than choosing a sandwich. Dex didn’t know who they were, in that moment. Perhaps that was why they were smiling.

“We don’t have to fall into the same category to be of equal value.”

"I think there's something beautiful about being lucky enough to witness a thing on its way out."

It is difficult for anyone born and raised in human infrastructure to truly internalize the fact that your view of the world is backward. Even if you fully know that you live in a natural world that existed before you and will continue long after, even if you know that the wilderness is the default state of things, and that nature is not something that only happens in carefully curated enclaves between towns, something that pops up in empty spaces if you ignore them for a while, even if you spend your whole life believing yourself to be deeply in touch with the ebb and flow, the cycle, the ecosystem as it actually is, you will still have trouble picturing an untouched world. You will still struggle to understand that human constructs are carved out and overlaid, that these are the places that are the in-between, not the other way around.

“You keep asking why your work is not enough, and I don't know how to answer that, because it is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. You don't need to justify that, or earn it. You are allowed to just live.”

"Do you not find consciousness alone to be the most exhilarating thing?… You and I—we're just atoms that arranged themselves the right way, and we can understand that about ourselves. Is that not amazing?"

[pastorhogg]

Today's Spiritual Disciplines

As the Day Begins: Seeking Strength in His PresenceIn this morning’s meditation on 1 Chronicles 16:11, we are called to begin each day by seeking the Lord’s strength and presence. In doing so, we root ourselves in His power rather than our own striving, setting the tone for a Spirit-led day. A Year in the Life of Jesus: When Seeing Still Isn’t BelievingOur reading in Matthew 12:38–42 reminds us…

[swordmaid]

IF YOU WERE A SONG ID NEVER STOP SINGING; IF YOU WERE A PSALM ID NEVER STOP PRAYING……..

[littleflowerfaith]

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Trust in God for Deliverance from Enemies

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord; give heed to my groaning. 2 Hearken to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to thee do I pray. 3 O Lord, in the morning thou dost hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for thee, and watch.

4 For thou art not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not sojourn with thee. 5 The boastful may not stand before thy eyes; thou hatest all evildoers. 6 Thou destroyest those who speak lies; the Lord abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men.

7 But I through the abundance of thy steadfast love will enter thy house, I will worship toward thy holy temple in the fear of thee. 8 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of my enemies; make thy way straight before me.

9 For there is no truth in their mouth; their heart is destruction, their throat is an open sepulchre, they flatter with their tongue. 10 Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of their many transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against thee.

11 But let all who take refuge in thee rejoice, let them ever sing for joy; and do thou defend them, that those who love thy name may exult in thee. 12 For thou dost bless the righteous, O Lord; thou dost cover him with favor as with a shield. — Psalm 5 | Revised Standard Version (RSV) Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Cross References: 1 Kings 8:36; Psalm 1:5; Psalm 1:1; Psalm 2:11-12; Psalm 3:3; Psalm 9:2; Psalm 9:16; Psalm 36:12; Psalm 11:5; Psalm 13:3; Psalm 23:3; Psalm 28:2; Psalm 29:11; Psalm 34:16; Psalm 36:12; Psalm 43:1; Psalm 52:4; Psalm 54:2; Psalm 55:17; Psalm 59:16; Psalm 84:3; Psalm 140:6; Romans 1:30; Romans 3:13

[philosophybitmaps]

[mickkie1-blog]

I lift my eyes

June 1st

[breakingbreadwithnatasha]

Breaking Bread For 6.27.25

Today’s Theme: You May Be The Only Bible Someone Knows Audio Option Please click on the audio player below to listen to today’s message. You can fast-forward past the intro and get straight to the message by clicking the play button, and then the 30-second fast-forward button on the audio player. Thank you! https://www.spreaker.com/episode/breaking-bread-for-june-27–60242103 Scripture I will…

[apenitentialprayer]

Judgment Day: A Rectification of Injustice

And though, as I said a minute ago, Our Lord in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats painted a characteristically Christian picture [of Judgment], in another place He is very characteristically Jewish. Notice by what He means by 'an unjust judge.' By those words most of us would mean someone like Judge Jeffreys or the creatures who sat on the benches of German tribunals during the Nazi régime: someone who bullies witnesses and jurymen in order to convict, and then savagely punish, innocent men. Once again, we are thinking of a criminal trial. We hope we shall never appear in the dock before such a judge. But the Unjust Judge in the parable is quite a different character. There is no danger of appearing in his court against your will: the difficulty is the opposite — to get into it. It is clearly a civil action. The poor woman (Luke 18:1-5) has her little strip of land —room for a pigsty or a hen-run— taken away from her by a richer and more powerful neighbor [... a]nd she knows she has a perfectly watertight case. If once she could get into the court and have it tried by the laws of the land, she would be bound to get that strip back. But no one will listen to her, she can't get it tried. No wonder she is anxious for 'judgment'. Behind this lies an age-old and almost world-wide experience which we have been spared. In most places and times it has been very difficult for the 'small man' to get his case heard. The judge (and, doubtless, one or two of his underlings) has to be bribed. If you can't afford to 'oil his palm' your case will never reach court. Our judges do not receive bribes. (We probably take this blessing too much for granted; it will not remain with us automatically.) We need not therefore be surprised if the Psalms, and the Prophets, are full of longing for judgment, and regard the announcement that 'judgment' is coming as good news. Hundreds and thousands of people who have been stripped of all they possess and who have the right entirely on their side will at last be heard. Of course they are not afraid of judgment. They know their case is unanswerable — if only it could be heard. When God comes to judge, at last it will. Dozens of passages make the point clear. In Psalm 9 we are told that God will 'minister true judgment' (8), and that is because we forgetteth not the complaint of the poor (12). He 'defendeth the cause' (that is, the 'case') 'of the widows' (68:5). The good king in Psalm 72:2 will 'judge' the people rightly; that is, he will 'defend the poor'. When God 'arises to judgment' He will 'help all the meek upon the earth' (76:9), all the timid, helpless people whose wrongs have never been righted yet. When God accuses earthly judges of 'wrong judgment', He follows it up by telling them that the poor 'have right' (82:2, 3). The 'just' judge, then, is primarily he who rights a wrong in a civil case. He would, no doubt, also try a criminal case justly, but that is hardly ever what the Psalmists are thinking of. Christians cry to God for mercy instead of justice; they cried to God for justice instead of injustice. The Divine Judge is the defender, the rescuer.

- C.S. Lewis (Reflections on the Psalms, pages 12-14). Italics original, slight change to paragraph breaks to avoid a wall of text.