Focus on the Character Of God

A focus on the Character of God is something I suspect all of us can profit from right now. Over the years I have written several posts on perspective, worship, seeking the face of God, and the like. Today, I want to combine most of those by putting a focus on the character of God as we see it in Psalm 103. May we lift above the fray.

The opening may be a challenge to any with a heavy heart, but keep going, I suspect that heaviness will at least begin to lift along the way. Notice the psalmist’s choice to praise and thank God. This choice to praise opens up our spiritual eyes and ears to the Living God. Reading out loud also helps this process. Meditate on the reminders of what God has done and who Our Creator is.

¹ Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
² Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
³ He forgives all my sins
    and heals all my diseases.
⁴ He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
⁵ He fills my life with good things.
    My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

How has God done these things for you personally? Some things do not always look the way we expect them to, or come in the time we want.

⁶ The Lord gives righteousness
    and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

Contemplate the many characteristics found below, along with any conditions attached. Meditate on the ones that stand out to you.

⁷ He revealed his character to Moses
    and his deeds to the people of Israel.
⁸ The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
    slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
⁹ He will not constantly accuse us,
    nor remain angry forever.
¹⁰ He does not punish us for all our sins;
    he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
¹¹ For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
    is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
¹² He has removed our sins as far from us
    as the east is from the west.
¹³ The Lord is like a father to his children,
    tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
¹⁴ For he knows how weak we are;
    he remembers we are only dust.
¹⁵ Our days on earth are like grass;
    like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
¹⁶ The wind blows, and we are gone—
    as though we had never been here.
¹⁷ But the love of the Lord remains forever
    with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children
¹⁸     of those who are faithful to his covenant,
    of those who obey his commandments!

¹⁹ The Lord has made the heavens his throne;
    from there he rules over everything.

Let’s join the angels.

²⁰ Praise the Lord, you angels,
    you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
    listening for each of his commands.
²¹ Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels
    who serve him and do his will!
²² Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
    everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

We need our Creator desperately. Psalm 103 reminds us that God is not like us. The one who mades us and sustains us is so much better! May we only glance at any trials, grief or circumstances that attempt to distract us. May we increasingly focus on the Character of God, to be still in His presence, knowing that we may change but Our Creator never does.

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