Key Verses: Psalm 103:15-16
As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.

We remember Prince Absalom, son of King David, who committed treason in trying to overthrow his father’s reign in Israel. Absolom’s untimely and violent death may have been in David’s mind when he penned the words of today’s reading. David grieved so very deeply over the death of his son (read 2 Samuel 18:9-33). Paul preached in the Antioch synagogue telling all that God said, “I have found David, the son of Jessie, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.” The Apostle went on to say, “From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Saviour – Jesus!” (Acts 13:22-23).

David had reason to grieve, but he ordered his soul to “BLESS THE LORD!” Six times in today’s reading these words appear. What does it mean to “BLESS”? It means that we are to make someone joyful! Let us ask ourselves this question: Does the smile of God’s approval rest upon our lives? My father often prayed at our family altar, “May the smile of Your approval be on our lives this day and always.” If we don’t have the assurance that God is blessed by our lives, we need to repent, ask forgiveness, and then look up again. Look for His joy to be revealed. Our souls will know when God is blessed!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, may the smile of Your approval be upon our lives this day and always. I pray that my soul will BLESS YOU, LORD GOD! Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Bob Code, a man whom my mother led to Christ, along with his wife and daughter, would often say, “Bless the Lord!” I was about 13 years old then and I questioned how Mr. Code could bless God. I thought, “God is the One who does the blessing.” And God does bless us in awesome ways, but I’ve learned that blessing is a two-way street. God blesses us and we bless Him! Amen!

I’ve often read our key verses while standing at a graveside. I’ve just read again the verses just before, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear [respect, awe, worship] Him. For He knows our frame; that we are dust” (Psalm 103:12-14).

Yours for being blessed and for blessing God and all with whom we come into contact!

David