Bless The Lord
Today’s Old Lazy Dog blog is a devotion that I wrote a number of year’s ago that went from being a feel good story to an extremely personal moment within about an hour or so.
I heard the song last night for the first time in a while and once again I was reminded of the importance of worship, the importance of spending quiet moments with the Lord, the importance of remembering…
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Bless The Lord
“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”- Psalm 103:1-5 NASB
Over the past 9 months or so, a song quickly became one of my all time favorites: Matt Redman’s “Bless The Lord - 10,000 Reason”
With its refrain...
“Bless the Lord, O my soul...
Oh oh my soul.
Worship His Holy name.
Sing like never before.
Oh my soul,
I will worship His Holy Name.
I will worship Your Holy Name.”
... ringing through my car stereo speakers or my iPod earphones, it serves has a great reminder of our need and even desire to worship God. A song that somehow speaks to my very soul.
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In the midst of writing this morning, I had to take a break and drive one of my daughter’s to school so that she would not be tardy. Through the stress of getting out the door, and fighting the stress of the morning traffic and all those also striving to get to school before the tardy bell, I found myself frustrated and tense on what should have been a bit more of a relaxed drive home.
Then, what ultimately became an intensely personal moment happened.
As I was beginning to approach the traffic signal of a major intersection, the song I had been writing about before I left came on the radio (Bless The Lord - 10,000 Reasons). And as I sat at the signal and waited for an extremely long red light and a “three car” green light, my eyes welled up with tears as the song played on.
Soon, I found myself singing with all my heart this song of worship and praise to my Lord, as a tear or two rolled down my cheek.
As I sang the chorus again and again, my mind went from the stresses of the past months, the past week, the past hour and focused on all that I have been blessed with, even as I face those issues and concerns.
Bless the Lord, O my soul...
He pardons my sins,
He heals the illnesses, diseases, and health concerns of my family and me
He redeems my soul from the pit of death and the fears of life
He crowns me with love, mercy, grace and compassion
He fills my life with goodness
He renews me
And at that moment at the red light(s), I had a moment of renewal and rededication to the Lord, a moment of remembrance and refocus on all the blessings He has given.
Bless the Lord, O my soul... Oh Oh my soul... Worship His Holy name.
May I never forget all He does (and has done) for me.
Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem
“Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!” - Psalm 103:1-5 NLT
