We’ve spent a month studying this one amazing psalm. We’ve slowed down to meditate on these blessings that David urges his soul — our ours — to not forget. Many of us have realized in a new way that we really are forgiven, that we really are loved with a steadfast love that is not going to let us go. What can we do to help us not forget?
What will help keep us anchored in these truths so that we don’t slip back into beating ourselves up for past sins?
What will free us from giving in to the endless scrambling to prove our worth to a gracious God who has already counted us worthy in Christ?
What will steer us back into our faithful God’s arms when we start looking for satisfaction from people and things, instead from Him — the one who truly satisfies the deep needs of our hearts?
We don’t want to walk away from this study and forget what we’ve learned. Let’s think about this for the last few minutes of our study.
Assignment: Pray! Pray for God to plant the truths of this psalm deep in your heart, and to change the way you think and live.
Then look over the paraphrase you wrote for Day 30. What truths have stood out most to you as you’ve studied Psalm 103? What has God revealed about Himself to you that you may need help remembering? How do you want to be changed by your study of this psalm?
Write down your thoughts. Pray over them. Agree with God. You’re forgiven. You’re loved. He’s healing you. You can be satisfied — in Him.
How can we keep these thoughts in the front of our minds where they will change the way we think and live?
- We can pray — daily. Ask God to keep these truths fresh and real in your heart. Thank Him for being and doing all that Psalm 103 describes. Start out your day thanking God for His forgiveness and asking Him to help you live in that forgiveness and love.
- We can stay in the Word. This is where God speaks to us. This is where He will continue to remind us of His forgiveness and steadfast love. Read Psalm 103 at least once a week, to keep its truths fresh in your mind and heart. Listen to it with a phone app, or ask one of the children to read it to you as you fix dinner.
- We can meditate on God’s Word, think about it, wrestle with it, memorize it, pray it. If God’s truth is going to be in our minds where it affects our thoughts and actions, it needs to be sunk deep down into our hearts.
If you haven’t memorized all of Psalm 103, do it. I know. It can be hard to memorize. But it’s so worth it! The Gospel saturates the lines of this psalm, and the Gospel is the good news that changes hearts and frees us to live in the joy of God’s forgiveness and love. Hide these words in your heart!
- We can make reminders for ourselves. God told His forgetful children, the Israelites to set up memorials — feast days, precious stones on the priests’ breastplates, piles of rocks in rivers, offerings — reminders of what God had done for them.
What memorial will help you not forget all His benefits? Would it help to post a simple list on the refrigerator — what God has done and what He is like, as described in Psalm 103? Maybe on a card for the dashboard of your car? Typed onto the notepad of your phone?
How about a simple piece of word art (see the link below) posted on your wall where it will remind you and others of God’s great love and forgiveness?
Are there sins from your past that you’re not forgiving yourself for, even after God has forgiven them? Would it help to write those down and turn them over to the Lord in prayer, mentally nailing them to the cross as you pray, and then burning or tearing up the list when you’ve finished?
What kind of reminder can you create?
- Talk to your soul. Don’t just listen to it. Listen to your soul just long enough to pinpoint where it’s wrong, and then speak the truths of Scripture to yourself — and listen.
Come to this psalm when you’re overwhelmed, and tell your soul that God remembers that you are dust. He shows compassion.
Come to this psalm when you are struggling with guilt over confessed and forgiven sins. Remind your soul that God has removed your sins as far as the east is from the west.
Come to this psalm as you weather God’s loving discipline, and assure your soul that He will not always chide. He doesn’t deal with us as our sins deserve.
Come to this psalm when things look hopeless, and tell your soul that the steadfast love of God is from everlasting to everlasting for those who fear Him.
Run to this psalm when life is a mess and ask God to help you see which of His benefits you need to remember and believe.
- Remember what God’s love cost Him. The life of His only Son was sacrificed for our sakes. Now it’s our privilege to take up our crosses and follow Him, living and rejoicing in the reality of the forgiveness He won for us on the cross.
Maybe this little piece of chalk art could help some of you remember God’s blessings, too! It’s my gift to you. 🙂 Thank you for joining me in this study. I’ve been so blessed to study along with you all.
For those of you who are still working your way through the lessons, I’m so glad you haven’t let the interruptions and challenges of your life discourage you from persevering. Keeping going! 🙂
For those who have finished, I’ll post a list of study suggestions tomorrow, if you would like some ideas for following up on your study of Psalm 103.
Remember, if you didn’t do the Busy Mamas study on 1 John 3 with us in March, we will be posting links to those lessons in the Facebook group every morning during December. If you want to join the study, make sure you’ve joined the group on Facebook so that you can access those lessons easily (or just search on the blog for “1 John 3”, if you don’t want to dive into the Facebook scene).
After Tuesday, we will return to our once-a-week Thursday post. (This Thursday will be a giveaway for a $50 Doorposts gift certificate — just in time for the Christmas sale!)
If you recently subscribed to the blog in order to do the study with us, I hope you’ll stay with us. My desire is to encourage and equip you for the tough-but-oh-so-important job you are doing as a mother and wife!
10 Trackbacks