God’s promise of the day by day renewal we all need

Psalm 103:1-5
Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

WHO doesn't feel the need for a dose of the 'renewal of youth'. If you could put it in a bottle and sell it, it would be priceless. As it is, the UK cosmetics industry is worth £8 billion, and a large part of that is manufacturer's attempts to market a little bit of a solution and package it for the retailer's shelf.

We are all dying – fact. Since this time yesterday you have lost between 30 and 50 billion cells. Fortunately God has created us with remarkable powers of regeneration, so you got some new ones; and we know that if we eat and live in a healthy way, they can be better cells than the old ones. How about that to get you out for a run or down to the gym!

It's an answer, at one level to the question of how this Scripture passage is fulfilled. We are wasting away but also being renewed.

But there's another way this promise is being fulfilled. You have heard it said: "You are what you eat." Have you ever thought that you are also what you think?

Proverbs 23:7 NASB (made inclusive)
For as [a person] thinks within [themselves], so are they.

What kind of renewing in us is particularly associated with the Holy Spirit, as we learn to trust Him and give Him entrance into our lives? The renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). That changes our thinking, so we lean towards what is good and true and don't listen to the depressing and negative lies of the enemy he tries to put in our minds.

Any GP you talk to will have stories about patients who are 'sinkers' – they are sinking themselves and they'll sink you too, there are so many things wrong with them. Is it all in the mind? No, there are symptoms and measurable conditions. But doctors will tell us that how we think plays a large part, either spiralling down out of control or determined to rise up and overcome.

The good news right here in this passage is that God is on the side of renewing us and helping us get our vigour back. The enemy is at work trying to kill us bit by bit and steal life from us; the Spirit of Jesus, following His promise, is lifegiving (John 10:10).

Our life is our party, and we don't have to entertain the gatecrasher.

PRAYER

I choose to praise You, Lord, over and above my feelings, because I know that You are good and have good intentions towards me. I call them down! I praise You for forgiveness, for healing, for redeeming me and dealing with guilt, for crowning me with Your love and compassion. Above all I praise You for releasing me from the old hopeless way of thinking and putting me on a renewal track for my mind and thoughts. Fill me, Holy Spirit of Jesus, with Your truth and reality. Amen.

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