TRANSFORMING GRATITUDE: REMEMBERING RIGHTLY

We hear a lot about narratives in our society.  Who has the correct narrative?  It depends on several things.  Sometimes we are caught up in the confidence and certainty of the speaker.  If they believe it, shouldn’t we?  Other times, it may be convincing data that is the attraction of the narrative.  If there are enough numbers, then we are drawn into the seeming certainty of the “facts.” But what about truth?  How do we begin to challenge the narrative to find the strength of truth?  Truth is able to set us free as well as alter our perspective.  In our series Transforming Gratitude, we realize that the truth of the narrative in our hearts and souls can lead us to the power of being thankful! Our sermon this week is Remembering Rightly.  It is based on a spectacular moment of realization in Psalm 103:1-14.  King David has a moment in which the accumulation of God’s power and goodness challenges his personal narrative of strength and success.  It is said that “people who do not remember their history are doomed to repeat it.”  David helps every believer correctly remember the steps to find a transformative narrative of grace and love.  When we remember rightly, our narrative of doubt, doom, and defeat is overwhelmed by the truth of belief,  blessing, and benefit!  We pray that as you read these words, you find a “Psalm 103” moment in which the gift of God’s grace will fill you with the strength of salvation and the confidence of God’s truth! 

Psalm 103:1-14: ¹ Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. ² Praise the LORD, 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. ⁶ The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. ⁷ He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: ⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. ⁹ He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; ¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. ¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; ¹² as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. ¹³ As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; ¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. (NIV)