Bits and Pieces – 205th Edition – August 25, 2024

     We cannot suggest that one Psalm is above another, but Psalm 103 is a mountain peak of David’s compositions.  It contains three things that cannot be measured in human terms which should cause us to “bless the Lord.” [v1].

     The Mercy of God [v11] is as great “as the heaven is above the earth.”  This is a distance that cannot be measured.  You can measure how high a tree, or an airplane, or a cloud is above the earth, but not the heaven.  It is immeasurable. God’s mercy and love towards this world of sinners is “so”[John 3:16] great we should bow in humble submission.

     The Forgiveness of Sin.  “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us” [v12].

He does not say north to south for there are north and south poles, and the distance between them can be measured.  But there is no east point or west pole.  The distance between east and west is immeasurable.

     When we come to Christ for forgiveness, and cry “God be merciful to me a sinner” [Luke 18:13] He blots out all of our sins.  Amazing!

     The Psalmist returns to his thoughts on God’s mercy, “the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting” [v 17].  Here we humans have a problem. We see everything as having a beginning and an ending.  But with God we are faced with a Deity who has always existed, without beginning or ending.  He is the infinite God                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   .  Our human brains have not the capacity to comprehend this.  All we can do is gratefully accept the wonder of God’s everlasting mercy.

[From an article in the Vision magazine written by Dr. John Douglas a few months before his death].

     God graciously allows some of His saints to grow old, and old age is the same in all generations.  Physical strength, such a blessing in itself, is no longer what it was, and decrepitude sets in. Faculties as a rule begin to fail – eyesight, hearing, mental sharpness – all of these – and general confidence usually suffers too.  The free use of the car eventually goes.  With unsteadiness, there is the danger of stumbling or falling.

     Then there is memory.  Who would want to talk about loss of memory or absentmindedness?  Even young people say, ‘Where did I put my keys?’ or ‘where did I put my glasses?’

     There can be loneliness as well..  For some that is a daily cause of heartbreak, maybe even tears.  There can be ill health, or serious problems, and these can bring distress to weary hearts.

     Anna, Simeon, and others, walked with God in their last days as well as in their prime.  Length of days is a high honour.  “With long life will I satisfy him” [Psalm 91:16].

     Allow me to offer some thoughts.  I do believe we should pray earnestly for a spirit of thanksgiving.  Beware of indulging in the wrong attitude.  If there is any sign of bitterness, or any unworthy thought, regarding advancing years, seek to pray it out of your system. And pray for the “joy of the Lord” [Psa. 51:8]

     God preserves His people for a purpose.  We are to be a testimony to His name and grace.  We are living testimonies all the time, whether young or old, even though we may not think it.

If there is a particularly bad time, read through the Psalms carefully and prayer-fully.  You will be blessed every day.

     There are 31,174 verses in the KJV Bible. The middle one is Psalm 118:8, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”

     It is interesting to note that this verse has only five words in Hebrew, therefore the central word in the Bible is very appropriate – “Jehovah.”  By comparing Isaiah 10:21 with John 10:41 we discover Jesus is Jehovah.  The central Bible message therefore is Christ.