PSALM 103
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget 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 as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
This is a passage that resonates with many about the power of God. In this passage, we have a God that is all powerful that can remove all the negative from our lives from sins to disease and then renews us like an eagle can grow a new set of wings after time. When we have a disease or something that we struggle with it isn’t always as simple that it might be wiped away. We hear stories of healings and want that same ending of hope. Many of us when we are handed a difficult diagnosis or journey we pray and hope for healing and for God to take the cup away from us much like Jesus did. And, yet we also know that healing comes in different forms. We know that new life and renewal come in different forms. We can have healing in our bodies and we can also have a renewal of our spirits that helps us endure and wade through difficult waters. When I have struggled with things in my life, I have often prayed for it to be removed and changed, and sometimes what I want or envision doesn’t happen. However, through the rough waters, there are signs and blessings from God that have filtered through the tears to find me and hold me upright. Our faith does end when our prayers are answered in ways we don’t expect, but rather our faith is renewed when we feel God’s presence even through the difficult nights. We are heard and we are loved nonetheless. Thanks be to God.
Prayer
God of redemption, You bring us out of the depths of ourselves and this world and provide us with hope. Hope to keep going. Hope to keep loving. Hope to keep seeking you and listening to your call. Thank you for your renewal and steadfast presence in our lives. Amen.