My mission the past 2 weeks has been to read the entire book of Psalms - and to enrich my worship with the truth of God's point of view on true worship and praise. I'm only on chapter 70 today, but I stopped for lunch to watch my new favorite christian channel: Daystar TV, and listened to Pastor Joseph Prince talking about Psalm 103...also one of my favorites.
Psalm 103
Of David.
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Pastor Prince was talking about true success, having your Youth Renewed like the eagles. Juanita Bynum was also talking about this in her conference last weekend in Orlando "Women on the Front Line" - that so many of us have allowed the months, ok, years to creep by watching the devourer (Ok, The Devil!) destroying our youthfulness...our bodies, our mind...our dreams and passions. Where did the time go? The bible says right there in P.103 that God has forgiven us and HEALED us, he loves us and has compassion for us...he will satisfy our desires with good things.
This passage is especially special to me and it is highlighted in my bible. In 2000 when I had the opportunity to journey to S. Africa, it was my turn to preach a message to the children. We had gone to several elementary schools filled with hundreds of children for several days, many I can't remember, but in this particular school where it was my turn to speak - I remember every detail of the day very vividly. Every moment, every memory etched forever in my heart. It was very cold that morning, and we had to get up before dark to travel to this school. I was layered with a heavy grey wool sweater, a cute blue fleece hat, matching scarf and gloves, Long John pants, and a thick black long skirt, with warm boots. When we arrived I was so shocked at the cold, and how my breath created plumes of smoke with each word. Still freezing we all piled out of the warm van...my bible in tote, ready to help lead a crusade in this school to tell the children about Jesus. The children were arriving to school on foot, we could see them walking blocks and miles away as we drove into the village. They were dressed in their uniforms: very short blue skirts and white short sleeve shirts, with little blue sweaters, and ankle socks with old dusty shoes. Their bare legs in the cold just made me even colder. When I got out of the van I could not imagine walking around in the freezing weather in shorts and felt a sting of guilt for the warm bananna republic sweater I was wearing. Thier smiles and happy faces warmed my heart, as I took off my gloves and scarf and cute blue fleece hat and began to greet them with hugs. Some of the children had never seen "Americans" before, much less blonde hair, blue eyes, white skin. They just wanted to touch us.
Now, normally I am the designated singer - because that is where I am most comfortable. But for some reason on this trip, I caught laryngitis and bronchitis, which I never had before in my life. So I was left to speak/preach with my raspy hoarse voice. The day before our leader told me that I was going to teach the children and lead the lesson...so I needed to prepare a scripture and a 10 minute message. As I randomly flipped thru, hoping the Holy Spirit would give me something child-like and interesting...I came across this passage: Psalm 103:5 "The Lord satisfies your desires with good things." I did not know HOW in the world this could relate to 8 year old - 12 year old children. I felt impressed to talk about drugs, and sex and drinking. My mind kept telling me this was tooo harsh of a message for young children. My heart kept saying "Tell them, I will give them the desires of their heart..." - so I obeyed. I even asked my professor 2 minutes before my turn to take the mic---I feel impressed to talk about sex and drugs and drinking and I can't shake this feeling---he said "Young lady, speak what God has told you to speak!" So my cold fingers grabbed the mic, and shared this word with 300 smiling young faces. I told them that no matter what their heart desires, the things that are not satisfying their life..God can replace those things with GOOD things, and give them a new youth.
We prayed and closed the service, the children went back to their class. The principal of the school brought us into and empty class room and began to share with us about the needs of his school and the dangers that the children face each day. He shared with us that 80% of those (beautiful, smiling) faces we just ministered to are HIV positive. He is one of the only christian principals in the area and it is a struggle for him to fight off the darkenss in the area. These "Elementary" school children are using drugs and having sex. The sex education program the government introduced in the late 90's included "Stapling" a condom to a business card with a message on "safe sex." In essence they passed out $1.5 million dollars worth of protection with 2 small staple holes right in the middle---for people to use to be "protected." AIDS is spreading like wildfire...and it is and epidemic amoung the children.
What are the good things that God can give us?? Prince mentioned that in his questioning, the Lord showed him that these "good things" is the same "good" that is mentioned when Mary worshiped at the feet of Jesus in Martha's home. When he studied the Hebrew translation, the word "Good" mentioned in those two passages (Luke 10:42 and Ps 103:5) are the translated exactly the same. God longs for us to worship at his feet, he says this will satisfy our desires - and this is where we will find our youth renewed like the eagles...this is where we will truly soar...where we will find true success!
Do you need more time, more energy, more zeal for life, better skin, better brain power...then take some time, Declare His Praise, Enter into his presence. Use the robe of righteousness that He has placed on you for its good purpose - which is to enter into the presence of God. So many have had one or two wonderful experiences, but God wants us to experience Him in that realm Daily! So I encourage you today to make your confession before the Lord Daily...Quote this scripture AM and PM - let him renew what the enemy has devoured and watch your spirit soar like the eagles!