“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:1-2).
The proper response to divine favours received is a personal commitment to bless the LORD. Thankfulness leads the beneficiary to worship the Giver, who is the LORD. In the previous verse, the psalmist has already exhorted his soul twice to bless the LORD. Now for a third time, he says, “Bless the LORD”. Such repetition denotes the earnestness of his desire to express his gratitude. Besides, he stirs up his soul to employ itself in grateful worship of the LORD. The worship of the LORD must arise from the inner man. It is a soul-work. Jesus reprimanded those who engaged in “lip-worship”. Citing Isaiah, He said, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8; cf. Isaiah 29:13; Ezekiel 33:31). No worship exists when the heart is not sincerely and earnestly employed in praising the LORD.
In Deuteronomy 8:10-14, the LORD warned Israel against forgetting His benefits – “When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God …”
Recollecting and recognising the LORD’s help, guidance, rebuke, promises, spiritual blessings, physical provisions, strength, hope, etc. will provide genuine impetuses for the worship of His name. Grateful emotions make the soul yearn to bless the LORD. Recognition of the LORD’s blessings in his life causes the psalmist to cry out: “What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people” (Psalm 116:12-14).
In order to mould oneself to be a better worshipper of the LORD, one should awaken one’s memory to the benefits one has received from the LORD. Our memory is like a large storehouse. Recollection will bring to our present awareness those things stored up in the memory, producing powerful emotions of gratitude and worship in our hearts.
Dear Pastor, the Church Session and all our beloved brethren at Gethsemane BPC-Singapore,
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:3-6).
It is with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord that I greet you a Blessed 33rd Anniversary!
By the grace and mercies of God, the church has weathered many challenges and difficulties, including the recent COVID-19 crisis. I remember well that it was in March last year when it was declared a global pandemic. Now a year after, we can testify as with the prophet Jeremiah, saying: “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23)!
Indeed, God is faithful in keeping the church, and sustaining (even flourishing) its ministries. Just when everyone thought that the recent crisis would hinder the ministry of the Word as churches would have to close their doors during the lockdown, the Lord has opened wide a great door of opportunity, that the Word would have free course not only among you, our brethren in Singapore, but also to all of us in the mission churches and to many others in different parts of the world. I thank the Lord for Pastor Koshy for his burden to organise many online meetings for the feeding and nurture of God’s flock in these most difficult and trying times. In addition to the regular weekly programmes, many have been blessed by the online fellowship meetings, Bible study, Bible conferences, and even the recent Bible Witness retreat. The Word of God is not bound!
Granted, the idea of online meetings and worship may not fit well as to what a church should be, that is, a gathering together or the assembling of God’s people together. Yet it has become the most viable means, especially in those times when mass gatherings were prohibited. No doubt, it was God’s providence that has brought about these so-called “virtual” meetings, so that even though we cannot meet and gather together physically, we still are able to gather together in His presence.
Now a year after, we rejoice together with you as you come together physically to offer praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord for the 33 blessed years of the church’ s existence. Just as the psalmist declared, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works” (Psalm 145:3-5).
On this happy occasion, I also would like to express our sincere appreciation for all your support and prayers. Please know that your burden of the Lord’s work has been a great blessing and encouragement to us.
May the Lord bless Gethsemane BPC (Singapore) with many more years of service unto Him, to the glory of His Name!
Yours in Christ,
Reggor B. Galarpe
Gethsemane B-P Church (Cebu)
Cebu City, Philippines