Verse of the Day 5/30

Verse of the Day 5/30

Psalm 103:17-18  But from eternity to eternity

the Lord's faithful love is toward those who fear Him,

and His righteousness toward the grandchildren

18 of those who keep His covenant,

who remember to observe His precepts.   (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Friday would have been my mom's 89th birthday and it was the first one since her passing.  Naturally, I've thought about her a lot over the past month and am grateful for her life and example of faith.  I've been preparing for her memorial service on June 7th and as I've gone through photographs and other momentos of her life,  a lot of things have been going through my mind.

Today's verse came up in my devotions yesterday and it easily brought my mind back to her for several reasons.  Mom loved her children, grand children and great grandchildren and I know that she would enjoy hearing that God's faithful love and righteousness would be "toward" her grandchildren.  She was a faithful wife, loving mother, grandparent, pianist and organist at her church, taught Sunday School and worked in AWANA Clubs.  Yet, those things didn't earn her a right relationship with God, did not earn his favor, it was all by God's grace.  This reminds me of her nickname "Gracie".

The other thing that stood out in the HCSB translation of verse 17 was the word eternity.  As Christians we long and hope for an eternity with God and a reunion with loved ones.  In Ecclesiastes 3 we read, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."

I saw the ravages of what advanced stages of dementia can bring, but we take solace in the fact that in eternity, by God's grace, we will see renewal and restoration and life everlasting.  The Lord has touched her and made her whole.

Lord of Eternity
Blessed is the man
Who walks in Your favor
Who loves all Your words
And hides them like treasure
In the darkest place
Of his desperate heart,
They are a light
A strong, sure light.

Sometimes I call out Your name
But I cannot find You.
I look for Your face,
But You are not there.
By my sorrows, Lord,
Lift me to You,
Lift me to Your side.

Lord of Eternity,
Father of mercy,
Look on my fainting soul.
Keeper of all the stars,
Friend of the poorest heart
Touch me and make me whole.    (Lord of Eternity - Fernando Ortega)

Blessings, 

Mike 

Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,

in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV

Psalm 103:15-22
English Standard Version
15 As for man, his days are like grass;
    he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
    and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
    and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
    and remember to do his commandments.
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
    and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
    you mighty ones who do his word,
    obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
    his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the Lord, all his works,
    in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!