Remember your first Love

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…speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. Ephesians 5:19-21

We may think we do, but I’m afraid we don’t always remember our first Love. We quickly get distracted, whether in good times or bad, or even just ‘doing’ for the Lord. But it’s always time to get back into the Psalms for comfort, wisdom, guidance and understanding. Psalm 106 is one that reminds us of what we need to always be doing in all circumstances. Praise God in all things. Be thankful and remember that He is good and that His mercy endures forever. You couldn’t come close to speaking of all His mighty acts, but we can all try remember to maintain good works (Titus 3:8). 

But one thing that strikes me in this chapter in the Psalms is not just the nation’s sins. It also vividly brought me back to the nine lepers who did not return to thank Him for healing them (Luke 17:11-19). All of them were cleansed, but only one came back to thank Him. This had to be a huge miracle to be healed from leprosy. It had not ever been heard of except for with Elisha and Naaman the leper. And here Jesus just spoke the word and the 10 were cleansed and sent to the Priests as per OT law for verification of cleanliness.

So why did He tell the one that returned to thank Him that his faith had made him well?

So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:17-19

Jesus cleansed all of them. And all of us in the church have been cleansed by the very blood of Jesus, the one who loved us (Rev 1:5-6). But we need to be ‘made well’ all the time. We live in a sinful and fallen world. One that can discourage us, dishearten us, and even traumatize us. We have hurts and sorrows that sometimes seem too much to bear, and we can forget Who we need to keep turning to. Who our eyes should be on (Heb 12:2). To thank Him regardless of any of our circumstances, remembering we can do all things through Christ, the one who strengthens us (Phil 4:11-13).

The multitude of God’s mercies

Ps 106 goes on to speak of not understanding God’s wonders or remembering the multitude of His mercies… May we try to keep remembering that no matter what obstacles we see. And even when Israel rebelled, God saved them for His name’s sake. He made His mighty power known. He saved them from the hand of those who hated them, redeeming them from the hand of the enemy and He has done the same for us.

We need to thank Him and praise Him in all. Sometimes we’re led through waters which seemed as if they would drown us, but He parted them so we might cross through. Other times, because of our own sin and stubbornness, we wander much longer through the wilderness than we needed to. How many times did I forget to ‘believe His words and sing His praise’ (Ps 106:12)? The very next verse says that they ‘soon forgot His works and didn’t wait for His counsel’. Oh dear Lord, how many times have I done the same? Don’t forget God your Savior, who has done great and wondrous things – awesome things.

Believe His Word. Don’t complain. Heed the voice of the Lord. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

The 10 Lepers

I don’t want to be one of the nine lepers out of 10, but I am afraid that I have been far too often. The Lord has delivered me out of the horrible pit of miry clay and set my feet upon the Rock (Ps 40). He has put a new song in my mouth, yet may I ever remember to sing it. The Lord has been my help, if not, my soul would soon have settled in silence. When my feet were slipping, His mercy held me up. And it all my anxieties, His comforts delighted my soul (Ps 94:17-19). When my flesh and my heart were failing, there He is, the strength of my heart, and my portion forever (Ps 73:26). When I made my bed in hell, there He was (Ps 139:8). He has never left us, we are the sheep who wander awy.

Don’t learn the way of the world. Try not to be self-centered, self-absorbed, distrustful, or feel sorry for yourself. If you find yourself in this pit, look to the Rock from which you were hewn (Is 51:1). Keep your mind stayed on Him (Is 26:3) and get comfort and hope from His Word which was written ahead of time for that reason (Rom 15:4). He loved us first, so show your love for Him. Step out. Feed His sheep. Encourage others. Wash the feet of the saints. Pray for others. Love your enemy. This can all be done as we try to do what we do as unto Him. Doing in by our own steam, well, we will just run dry. The Living Waters though will flow out of us if it is done in Him.

Forgiveness awaits you for anything you have done — anything — even if you can’t forgive yourself. He loves you. Reach out to Him.

Today and every day He stores all of our tears (Ps 56:8). Soon and very soon, He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more death. (Is 25:8; Rev 21:4; 1 Cor 15:50-58).

PLEASE PRAY FOR MY HUSBAND’S UPCOMING SURGERY ON JUNE 5TH, 2019

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”

Praise the Lord!

If you don’t know where you will go if you died today, please consider this link.