Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 19

Annual Bible Reading Plan:

EZK.48
JHN.18-19

2024 Thanksgiving Month Day 19：
Reminding Your Heart to Bless the Lord and Not Forget His Benefits (Psalm 103:1-13)
(Memorization Scripture 1-3)
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

Reflection:
Gratitude is a vital posture and practice for our lives as believers. However, it is also an area the enemy often seeks to obscure, attack, and undermine. Have you ever felt your heart grow indifferent, cold, or even burdened, losing sight of God’s grace and work in your life? In such moments, have you taken the step to speak to yourself and awaken a heart of thanksgiving? In today’s psalm, David begins by repeatedly speaking to his soul, reminding himself to rise up and bless the Lord, not to forget all His benefits! Through this intentional act of self-reminder, David focuses on counting God’s blessings: how He forgives all his sins, heals all his diseases, redeems his life from destruction, crowns him with steadfast love and mercy, and satisfies his desires with good things so that his strength is renewed like the eagle's. As he continues, the Holy Spirit leads David into an even deeper recognition of God's loving-kindness and compassion. This revelation causes his heart to overflow with gratitude and amazement, and his spirit is continually lifted and strengthened! In this moment, let us follow David’s example and speak to our own hearts: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” May our hearts be filled anew with thanksgiving and praise!



年度讀經計畫

結48
約18-19

2024感恩月 Day 19：
提醒自己的心要稱頌 神，不可忘記祂的恩惠（詩篇103:1-13）
(背誦1-3節)
1 我的心哪，你要稱頌耶和華；凡在我裡面的，也要稱頌祂的聖名！
2 我的心哪，你要稱頌耶和華，不可忘記祂的一切恩惠。
3 祂赦免你的一切罪孽，醫治你的一切疾病。
4 祂救贖你的命脫離死亡，以仁愛和慈悲為你的冠冕。
5 祂用美物使你所願的得以知足，以致你如鷹返老還童。
6 耶和華施行公義，為一切受屈的人申冤。
7 祂使摩西知道祂的法則，叫以色列人曉得祂的作為。
8 耶和華有憐憫，有恩典，不輕易發怒，且有豐盛的慈愛。
9 祂不長久責備，也不永遠懷怒。
10 祂沒有按我們的罪過待我們，也沒有照我們的罪孽報應我們。
11 天離地何等的高，祂的慈愛向敬畏祂的人也是何等的大。
12 東離西有多遠，祂叫我們的過犯離我們也有多遠。
13 父親怎樣憐恤他的兒女，耶和華也怎樣憐恤敬畏祂的人。

【心得分享】感恩是我們向著 神最重要的一種態度，是我們該有的生命和實行。但感恩的心也是仇敵要常常蒙蔽、攻擊和破壞的。當自己的心對 神的恩典與作為落入平淡、冷漠、甚至是被壓制時，你是否曾經向自己說話、喚醒心中的感恩？在今天這首詩篇中，大衛一開始就反复對自己的心說話，提醒自己要起來稱頌 神，不可忘記祂的一切恩惠！因著這樣有意的提醒，他開始專心數算 神的恩典—祂是如何赦免他一切的罪孽，醫治他的一切疾病；不僅僅救贖他的命脫離死亡，更以仁愛和慈悲為他的冠冕；還用美物使他所願的得以知足，以致他能常常如鷹返老還童。不斷如此，聖靈還帶他更 深地認識了 神的慈愛和憐憫，讓他的心不斷生髮感恩的驚嘆，讓他裡面的靈越發被激勵和提起！此時此刻，就要讓我們如大衛一樣，也來對自己的心說話：「我的心哪，你要稱頌耶和華；凡在我裡面的，也要稱頌祂的聖名！我的心哪，你要稱頌耶和華，不可忘記祂的一切恩惠。」相信這樣實行的時候，你裡面感恩的心一定會被喚醒，並得著更新！