Psalm 103:2-5 (CEB)

Let my whole being bless the Lord
    and never forget all his good deeds:
    how God forgives all your sins,
    heals all your sickness,
    saves your life from the pit,
    crowns you with faithful love and compassion,
    and satisfies you with plenty of good things
        so that your youth is made fresh like an eagle’s.


Reflection

How much of ourselves do we trust to our Lord? As the Psalmist writes, “Let my whole being, bless the Lord!” Maybe we say we want to trust everything to the Lord, but sometimes we fail to remember God when our circumstances feel less inconvenient. Do we look to God in all kinds of weather, or do we seek God just when the weather around us feels grey and we want to be rescued? Even if we fail to remember God at all times, our Lord is always gracefully loving and forgiving each of us. Our Lord loves us and is faithful to our needs.

Through this Psalm, I am further reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:26, “Look at the birds in the sky. They don’t sow seed or harvest grain or gather crops into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than they are?”

At the mention of birds, I choose to think of those fledgling birds learning to fly in all kinds of weather. Surely, birds know something about gravity. Just think of those eaglets perched in their nests and how it takes complete trust to step off that branch every time one wants to fly. Birds know that if they don’t hold their wings just right, they will fall.

In fact, in every kind of weather, if birds don’t hold their whole bodies just right, they may fall. And I’d like to think that for birds their soaring is their praise, but so is their perching! Perching is patiently waiting for the next draft to come or the next meal. May we be like the birds, who praise the Lord with their whole bodies in all kinds of weather.

By Barbara Carlson


For Pondering & Prayer

Our Lord loves us and is faithful to our needs. How much do we hold faith and trust in our Lord? Do we typically look for God to rescue us when the weather is foul? Or are we like the birds who always praise the Lord with their whole bodies? Whether we soar like eagles or are found waiting, are we thankful and praising the Lord with our whole beings?  How do you continue to praise God with your whole self?

Prayer: Loving Lord, you are faithful and forgiving even when we do not choose to notice you. In all kinds of weather, we are grateful for your love and forgiveness. Thank you for your steadfast ways. May we bless you with our whole selves. Amen.