Grace and peace to you!
Last month the chairs of the four alumni committees, together with some faculty members, organized the first Homecoming via zoom! We broke SBC’s Homecoming record by having the largest attendance in all 4 schools!?Praise God?that despite the Covid-19 lockdown & circuit breaker,?God enabled us?to use?this?modern technology to connect?with so many alumni from different parts of the world and to enjoy the messages, testimonies, updates, and an opportunity to pray for one another in small groups!
Many shared how God ministered to them during this pandemic. And although they suffered many difficulties, they were able to draw precious lessons from their time of lockdown. There was an amazing spirit of gratitude and thankfulness, a time to recollect God’s faithfulness and to count one’s blessings.
As I reflected over these zoom meetings, God led me to Psalm 103:
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all his benefits.
(verses 1-2)
The psalmist as he talked to himself, was actually encouraging himself to?praise God?for who he is, and to recount God’s?benefits.?The psalmist went on to list some of these benefits in the subsequent verses.
Let me share some of them so that we too will never forget God’s goodness:
- God has forgiven us our sins – though many!
- God has healed all our spiritual diseases, and has even healed some of our physical diseases, and one day he will remove all of them
- God has redeemed us from the pit
- God has shown his steadfast love and mercy to all believers
- God’s goodness is seen in his provision of energy and strength which he renews daily so that we can run and not be weary, walk and not faint (Isa 40:30)
- God’s kindness is evident in that he does not show us the full extent of his wrath which we deserve
- God has removed our sins and he remembers them no more!
- He shows compassion to those who fear him
- The list goes on and on….
Everyone of God’s creation from mankind, made in his own image, to the angelic hosts, in fact all creation, will resonate with this one refrain –?Bless the LORD, O my soul and forget not all his benefits!
Take some moments today to count your blessings and let God surprise you!
