Wednesday 6 May, 2015
It’s Easter time as I write this blog. And I’m totally floored by verse 9 of this Psalm…
He has paid a full ransom for his people…What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!
My ransom, the payment required to save my life has be paid! In full!
And right now as I reflect on that I feel incredibly free. Like I can run and dance and fly. I’m filled with awe that he would do that. But I quickly come back to my senses as it were. How often does one get their ransom paid and yet get to spend time with the one who ransomed them? Then I return to Him and realise what it cost Him.
And I’m stunned.
As tears roll down my face I blurt out “Can it be true? Is it possibly that you could love me that much?”
And I realise that Easter is the lighthouse for all time that the answer is yes – He loves you and I that much.
My ransom is paid in full – what an awesome, awesome saviour Jesus is.
Dear Lord Jesus, I’m left with no more words to express my amazement and gratitude but to raise my hands in praise and humbly say thank you for saving my life.
Amen
Written by Boudy VanNoppen
Praise God – what a theme in this Psalm.
The writer instructs us in a variety of elements of praise. These include that praise should be wholehearted, that it should be done with others, that it should be centered on His deeds and works as He does the right thing.
God is compassionate, feeds people and remembers His promises to people. He is powerful, just, trustworthy and faithful. He has redeemed His people rescuing them from perilous situations.
The psalm concludes that endless praise belongs to God.
This Psalm gives us such understanding on the whys and wherefores of praise. The statement I like the most is that Praise belongs to God, and not just occasional ad hoc praise but endless praise.
Do I just praise God when it’s comfortable or I think of it? Is praise my ‘go to’ attitude, my default?
Father may praise of You be continually on my lips.
As I reflect on vs 1 where it talks about the council of the upright and the assembly, I am reminded of God’s covenant with Abraham to make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky: As I worship Him, whether at home or at work or on a bush walk or while shopping or in church, I am part of something big. Really really big. The scale of time passing from then to now is enormous when compared to my lifetime and I am joining with all of those across history who have worshipped Him. Then I reflect on the scale of this amazing number of people who I am joining with in worshipping Him across the ages. Even in my physical experience, when I attended Presence conference recently and had the opportunity to worship him with about 7000 others it felt enormous, but then I think about the fact that just the Christians alive today could fill 200,000 sydney entertainment centres. Then I am absolutely gobsmacked.
All these people worship Him. He is awesome.
Lord, You are a phenomenal force, divinely loving, completely powerful, amazingly graceful, perfectly peaceful, incredibly present, beautiful beyond description and generous beyond imagining. I am in awe of you.