Dear friends, this is my last blog for a couple of months. Summer is wonderfully busy here at the lake and the Blomgren B&B is pretty packed for July and August and we travel and host Jessica before she and her family leave for Nigeria in September. But I am sure I have a least one week that month, TBD. It is actually a bit sad to take a break because I love all of you so much and my desire each week is that the Lord will feed us all and take us to the next step. So, I am leaving you with my favorite Psalms to bless you until we are back together.

Psalm 103

[A Psalm] of David.

1 Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name!

2 Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits—

3 Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases,

4 Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, Who beautifies, dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy;

5 Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation] with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle’s [strong, overcoming, soaring]!

In my mind David is self-preaching . He is telling his soul, his mind, will and emotions at the deepest level to praise God and His name, inclusive of all His name represents. Remember our study of those names a few years ago? Jehoval Jirah, the God who provides, Jehovah Shalom, our peace, Jehova Rapha, the God who heals to name just a few…. He then tells himself not to forget any of God’s benefits. As I meditated on these two lines I thought of so many benefits we are to continually remember. Being reconciled and in relationship to papa and Jesus, the peace that comes from relationship, being in covenant with almighty God, joy, love and the list goes on. So we praise Him as we remember.  David reminds himself that he is forgiven, not just for one sin, no,  from all of them! The slate is whipped clean, he is not condemned and neither are we. David declares that God is the healer of all our “dis-eases”. God takes away the fear of any wrath, the fear brought by the accuser. He heals the traumas from pain inflicted on us that we were not responsible for and the pain that we may have caused others. Jesus heals our hearts and our minds. He heals addictions that numbed the pain. He heals the lie that we are not good enough and tells us we are His beloved. He heals our bodies. He paid the price for our inner and outer healing on the cross. We are truly redeemed. We were bought back. Satan has no claim us any longer. Then David declares what lifts my heart and my faith. God is the only one to satisfy my desire today with good. When He does that I feel 30 again! Strong and soaring over my difficulties because I remember who He is and who I am! Praise God.

Look with me and see how closely  Psalm 23 and Psalm 103 are..

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.

2 He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.

3 He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him—not for my earning it, but] for His name’s sake.

4 Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with [a]oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.

6 Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.

Once again David is reminding himself of the nature of God. David had been a shepherd so he is well acquainted with the attributes. A shepherd totally provides for the sheep under his care. He guides them and protects them. All the sheep have to do is follow! God guides us to rest in a place where He will provide all we need. He takes care of us. Jesus reiterates this in Matthew 6:30-31.

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear?

God provides not only for our physical needs but for our emotional needs as well taking us to a place of rest and refreshment. In His presence we are able to lie down and drink deeply of His living water bringing restoration to our minds and emotions. He leads us through the hard times and reminds us that we are not to fear but to remember He is right there protecting and guiding and comforting us.

I love this picture of a table prepared for us in the presence of our enemies. Imagine a banqueting table laid out with every thing you could ever hope for. That is what God has done for you when you were made joint heirs with Christ and he did that right in the face of Satan! We simply need to eat.

Here is something I found on the anointing with oil:

“It is difficult for those living in a temperate climate to appreciate, but it was customary in hot climates to anoint the body with oil to protect it from excessive perspiration. When mixed with perfume, the oil imparted a delightfully refreshing and invigorating sensation. Athletes anointed their bodies as a matter of course before running a race. As the body, therefore, anointed with oil was refreshed, invigorated, and better fitted for action, so the Lord would anoint His “sheep” with the Holy Spirit, Whom oil symbolizes, to fit them to engage more freely in His service and run in the way He directs—in heavenly fellowship with Him.”

Wonderful, our anointing enables us to run the race as one refreshed and hydrated, we are ready to go!

David finishes by telling himself that God is a good, good God. His goodness, mercy and love will be with him and with us every single day of our lives. Everyday as we run to his presence and settle down and dwell there we are like beloved sheep, cared for, guided, refreshed and made ready for what He has next.

I know God has both amazing blessings for you this summer as well as a race to run. I pray you will take time to be with Him, remembering who He is and who you are and as always that all of his promises for YOU, are Yes and Amen!