Everyday's Thanksgiving, Part #16

I'm thankful for:

0301. food to eat

0302. spring

0303. Radical by David Platt

0304. western movies

0305. freedom

0306. life

0307. liberty

0308. the pursuit of happiness in Christ

0309. best friends

0310. waterfalls

0311. inspiration for songs

0312. Psalm 106

0313. the opportunity to share my testimony a few weeks ago

0314. witnessing opportunities that challenge me

0315. informative books

0316. my wonderful mother, who is a fantastic example to me of selfless service to others

0317. and my wonderful father, a man after God's own heart and an example to me of humility and grace

0318. 1 Timothy

0319. challenging quotes.  When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die. -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

0320. discipline

Avoiding no longer

At the beginning of every year, I love to make resolutions.  I used to make unrealistic ones, such as "This year I will learn to speak Spanish and Italian fluently," even when all I can say on January 1st is "Hola," and "Ciao."  These past few years I've started making more realistic resolutions.  One of mine for this year was to memorize at least four Psalms.  I started off with Psalm 27, then 16, and now I'm working on Psalm 139.

In the past I've always kind of avoided Psalm 139.  The 13th and 14th verses have been so overused as encouragement for those who are insecure and need to "feel better about themselves."  Don't get me wrong; I think it's great to remember that we are created in God's image and that He treasures us, but if that's all we see in Psalm 139, then we are missing the big picture.

We miss the point when we focus on ourselves and don't see that this Psalm is all about God's glory and power.  Take some time out of your day right now and read over this beautiful composition of praise to our great God.

O LORD, You have searched me and
   known me.
You know when I sit down and
   when I rise up;
You understand my thought from
   afar.
You scrutinize my path and my
   lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with
   all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my
   tongue,
Behold, O LORD, You know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and
   before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful
   for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your
   presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold,
   You are there.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the
   sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of
   me.
If I say, "Surely the darkness will
   overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be
   night,"
Even the darkness is not dark to
   You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's
   womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am
   fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths
   of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed
   substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of
   them.
How precious also are Your thoughts
   to me, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would
   outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.
O that You would slay the wicked,
   O God;
Depart from me, therefore, men of
   bloodshed.
For they speak against You
   wickedly,
And Your enemies take Your name in
   vain.
Do I not hate those who hate You,
   O LORD?
And do I not loathe those who rise
   up against You?
I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my
   heart;
Try me and know my anxious
   thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way
   in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

refuge

Psalm 56:10-11

Psalm 57:7-11

Psalm 62:5-8

Psalm 62:7-8

I Will Lift My Eyes

I recently found this song on youtube, and I love it!  One of my favorite bits is at the beginning of the chorus, where it says: "I will lift my eyes to the Maker of the mountains I can't climb."  How great and awesome is our God!

To You I lift up my eyes,

O You who are enthroned in the heavens!

Psalm 123:1