Back to the Basics

This post contains links that, if you click on them and make a purchase, will earn me money. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. . Regardless, I only recommend products or services that I believe will be good for my readers. Thanks for helping me continue to produce great content!

OK, I know I have been AWOL for a while now.

And I’m sorry about that.

I have been trying to solve some health issues that have been plaguing me, and I think my doctor and I are on the right track. It seems I have some hypothyroid issues going on. So, for several weeks now, I have been on meds for this, and they seem to be helping, so I am grateful for that. Enough about that.

This morning, I was reading Psalms 111, and thinking about the awesomeness of God.

1 Praise the LORD.
I will extol the LORD with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

2 Great are the works of the LORD;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.

3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.

4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the LORD is gracious and compassionate.

5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.

6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations.

7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.

8 They are steadfast for ever and ever,
done in faithfulness and uprightness.

9 He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.

And I was meditating in particular on verse 3 : that “His righteousness endures forever”. And as I thought about that phrase, one word at a time, all I could think was how absolutely unapproachable someone would be whose righteousness was that sure. His deeds are glorious. His deeds are majestic. His righteousness endures forever.

What fellowship can possibly exist between a glorious, majestic Creator God, who never does ANYTHING wrong, and someone like me? A little nobody American mother of 2 in the 21st century, with all my waffling and wishiwashiness, really with the absolute coldness that is in my heart at times. There IS no fellowship. A fellow is a person with whom you share warm feelings of camaraderie. A co-journeyer, if you will. And the description of God in this verse has nothing to do with me, nor with how I am.

How thankful I am for verse 4, which says, that the Lord is also “gracious and compassionate”. I don’t know about you, but this allows me to take in a huge breath of air, and let out a sigh of relief. And then my heart fills up with gratitude.

Oh, yes, Lord, Your works ARE glorious and majestic. I DO remember all your wonders.

But this word that You are gracious and compassionate: this is life to my spirit. That You, in your righteousness, yet reach out to me, to us, in grace. And more than just a distant gracious divine nod of unmerited favor toward us. But that You have COMPASSION on us. That You see us down here struggling in the midst of the mire, and it touches your heart. This moves me, Lord, and makes me love you more than ever. And makes me want to be just like you when I grow up.

It’s such a simple, simple thing, that I have known about You since I was a child. And yet it moves me again, to say, “Thank You! Thank You!”

As verse 9 says: that You would redeem us! Buy us back from the slavery we’ve been sold into and take us for Your own. That You would make a covenant with puny little us, and not only make that covenant, but keep it, too. That it is not dependent upon us, but just on Your very character and nature.

So this morning, I give praise to God for His righteousness, and His graciousness, and His compassion.

It’s just the basics. But sometimes, I NEED to get back to the basics.