Centuries ago, there was a legend that mystics would share with their followers. “The Lord, at one time,” went the legend, “colored all the flowers green. But one day He dipped His finger in the pot at the bottom of the rainbow and when He took it out it was covered with many different colors. When He saw how beautiful the colors were, He decided to paint each of the flowers a different color and give each of them their name.”

“One morning,” the legend continues, “a beautiful flower with small blue, pink and white flowers was asked, ‘What’s your name?’” The flower hung its head, sighed and said, “Oh my, I forgot.”

Embarrassed, the flower confessed to the Lord, “I’m so sorry, but I have forgotten my name.” And the Lord said, “That’s all right. Everyone forgets some things. But I have not forgotten you.” Then He added, “Whatever else you do, ‘For-Get-Me-Not,’ for I am the God who created you!”

From that day until today, this lovely little flower has been called “For-Get-Me Not.” Whenever we see it, we need to remember the words of David, “Praise the Lord, all my soul, and forget not all - or perhaps better stated - forget not any of His benefits.”

We seldom think of the extensive range of God’s gifts! Every beat of our heart, every breath we inhale, every sight we see or noise we hear, every step we take, every taste we enjoy, every friend we have, every blessing we receive, every promise of His that we claim - and mostly our salvation - are only the beginning of His benefits to us.

Prayer:  Lord! How gracious You are to give us so many gifts - beginning with our salvation. Most importantly, though, give us thankful hearts. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Praise the Lord, O my soul and do not forget all His benefits. Psalm 103:2

Centuries ago, there was a legend that mystics would share with their followers. “The Lord, at one time,” went the legend, “colored all the flowers green. But one day He dipped His finger in the pot at the bottom of the rainbow and when He took it out it was covered with many different colors. When He saw how beautiful the colors were, He decided to paint each of the flowers a different color and give each of them their name.”

“One morning,” the legend continues, “a beautiful flower with small blue, pink and white flowers was asked, ‘What’s your name?’” The flower hung its head, sighed and said, “Oh my, I forgot.”

Embarrassed, the flower confessed to the Lord, “I’m so sorry, but I have forgotten my name.” And the Lord said, “That’s all right. Everyone forgets some things. But I have not forgotten you.” Then He added, “Whatever else you do, ‘For-Get-Me-Not,’ for I am the God who created you!”

From that day until today, this lovely little flower has been called “For-Get-Me Not.” Whenever we see it, we need to remember the words of David, “Praise the Lord, all my soul, and forget not all - or perhaps better stated - forget not any of His benefits.”

We seldom think of the extensive range of God’s gifts! Every beat of our heart, every breath we inhale, every sight we see or noise we hear, every step we take, every taste we enjoy, every friend we have, every blessing we receive, every promise of His that we claim - and mostly our salvation - are only the beginning of His benefits to us.

Prayer:  Lord! How gracious You are to give us so many gifts - beginning with our salvation. Most importantly, though, give us thankful hearts. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Praise the Lord, O my soul and do not forget all His benefits. Psalm 103:2

As John left for the Army in World War I, his mother slipped a copy of the Twenty Third Psalm into his hand. “Here,” she said with tears in her eyes and pain in her heart, “take this with you wherever you go, never lose it and read it every time you are afraid and ask God to protect you!”

He followed her advice even in the fiercest combat zones. One day during a time of intense fighting, he slipped the Psalm from his pocket and started to read it. Suddenly, a bomb burst near him, and he jumped into a foxhole and lost the tattered piece of paper. It frightened him, and he said, “Now, I’ll always have bad luck.”

After the battle, he went to a tattooist with a copy of the Psalm and asked, “Please, Sir, tattoo this Psalm on my arm. I never, ever want to be without it.”

Many of us are like that soldier. We have God’s Word in our Bibles but not in our hearts. We keep His Word on our tables or desks but not in our minds. We do not allow it to become the centerpiece of our lives. It’s outside and “nearby” but not inside working its way out where it can make a difference in our lives.

“Praise the Lord, O my soul,” said David, “and do not forget all His benefits - Who forgives all your sins, Who heals all Your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”

When we pause and think of this Lord that David is writing about, it does not make any sense to keep Him in a Book or on a piece of paper. He deserves to be living deep within our hearts, guiding and guarding our lives giving us His peace and power.

Prayer:  Forgive us, Lord, for not allowing You to be at the center of all that we do or say, think about or seek. May Your Word be the light of our life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Praise the Lord, O my soul and do not forget all His benefits. Psalm 103:2

As John left for the Army in World War I, his mother slipped a copy of the Twenty Third Psalm into his hand. “Here,” she said with tears in her eyes and pain in her heart, “take this with you wherever you go, never lose it and read it every time you are afraid and ask God to protect you!”

He followed her advice even in the fiercest combat zones. One day during a time of intense fighting, he slipped the Psalm from his pocket and started to read it. Suddenly, a bomb burst near him, and he jumped into a foxhole and lost the tattered piece of paper. It frightened him, and he said, “Now, I’ll always have bad luck.”

After the battle, he went to a tattooist with a copy of the Psalm and asked, “Please, Sir, tattoo this Psalm on my arm. I never, ever want to be without it.”

Many of us are like that soldier. We have God’s Word in our Bibles but not in our hearts. We keep His Word on our tables or desks but not in our minds. We do not allow it to become the centerpiece of our lives. It’s outside and “nearby” but not inside working its way out where it can make a difference in our lives.

“Praise the Lord, O my soul,” said David, “and do not forget all His benefits - Who forgives all your sins, Who heals all Your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”

When we pause and think of this Lord that David is writing about, it does not make any sense to keep Him in a Book or on a piece of paper. He deserves to be living deep within our hearts, guiding and guarding our lives giving us His peace and power.

Prayer:  Forgive us, Lord, for not allowing You to be at the center of all that we do or say, think about or seek. May Your Word be the light of our life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: Praise the Lord, O my soul and do not forget all His benefits. Psalm 103:2

A few years ago I was sitting in the office of a dear friend and orthopedic surgeon. Because of his God-given skills he was able to correct the misdiagnosis of another physician that enabled me to walk once again.

As we sat and talked he asked me how things had been going with my health. After explaining my ordeal with cancer and several other illnesses, he looked at me and said very seriously, “You have no reason to be alive!”

But he was wrong.

There was every reason for me to be alive. It was God who brought the healing to my body even though there were several physicians who worked with Him along the way. David was certainly aware of God’s role in the healing process when he wrote, “and heals all your diseases.” If God is the one who heals all of our diseases, why does He do this? Who is the beneficiary of His healing? Us or Him?

 There is no doubt in my mind that God heals us that we might bring honor and glory to Him by serving Him faithfully. If He restores our health, we must realize that it is a gift of His grace and we show our gratefulness to Him by giving Him the glory and working with Him in this, His world.

We can only demonstrate our gratitude to Him, after we thank Him, by what we do for Him. Gratitude is not gratitude unless we become involved in building His Kingdom. Working with Him and through Him is not an option. It is a requirement if He has “healed our diseases.” 

Prayer: Lord, we are not our own, but Yours. When You heal us, let us show how thankful we are by serving You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Scripture for Today: Psalm 103:2b and forget not all his benefits—