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     Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Ps. 103:1-5

Dear Lord Jesus, though my memory isn’t what it used to be, I join King David today in giving you praise today for who you are, and all the good gifts you lavish on us in the gospel. I praise you that irrespective of changes in my brain chemistry, you’ll never forget me. This is my great hope and centering peace. But while they are fresh on my heart, here are a few things for which I am especially grateful as this day begins.

I praise you for forgiving all my sins—past, present, and future—sins of thought, word, and deed. How staggering a thought. I used to think you forgive only confessed sins, but now I realize I’m probably aware of only 4 percent of my sins. But your blood covers the other 96 percent as well. Praise the Lord, O my soul, for a perfect and complete forgiveness!

I praise you for securing the healing all my diseases—diseases in my body, heart, and mind. Though I wish you would completely heal me before you return, nonetheless, I have this sure hope: The healing I’m already receiving in the gospel will be brought to completion. Praise the Lord, O my soul, for present, ongoing, and a secured complete healing!

I praise you for redeeming my life from all pits—the pit of eternal separation from God, the pits others throw me into, the pits I naively fall into, and the pits I foolishly dig for myself! You’ve bought and brought me out of all pits into your embrace by taking the ultimate “pit” of God’s judgment for us on the cross. Praise the Lord, O my soul, for an all-pit redemption!

I praise you for crowning me with your love and compassion. You’ve taken away all my guilt and you’ve borne all my shame. My conscience is no longer under the law and condemnation, but under grace and your rejoicing . Praise the Lord, O my soul, for a coronation of mercy and grace!

I praise you for satisfying my desires with good things. Lord, I praise you for the smile of my grandson, the kiss of my wife, the taste of dark chocolate, the rainbow you painted on the side of a trout, the recent encouragement from a friend, and the sounds of great music, to name a few. Praise the Lord, O my soul, for a God who takes my desires seriously and satisfies them in countless ways!

Lord Jesus, may the unsearchable, innumerable, and inexhaustible riches of the gospel renew me today with youth-like energy, that I may soar like an eagle and live to the praise of your glorious grace! So very Amen I pray, in your holy and loving name.

 

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