The outcome of a well-loved soul is a life well lived!
I long to be a well-loved soul. I know that when my soul is well loved, I will love others well. The book of Psalms is a river of refreshing waters, from which I drink when my soul thirsts for love. I often find that, whether in lament or laughter, the psalmist’s words ooze blessings that both spring from and shape a well-loved soul.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!” Psalm 103:1
The Hebrew term, soul ( נֶפֶשׁ [nephesh /neh·fesh/), conveys the totality of the human experience! Its vast range of meanings include:
body, person, creature, heart, mind, self, will, appetite, desire, living being, emotion, passion, that which breathes.
In other words, when we see the term soul, the author (King David, in this case) is painting a picture designed to portray that which makes us totally, truly, and authentically human. Or, the essential part of our being and person-hood.
And what does King David, in Psalm 103, say of the well-loved soul?
He says that the well-loved soul is the soul that is passionately captivated by God and, as a result, is a soul that blesses the Lord! From his very core, his essence, he blesses God. His blessing – repeatedly conveyed – seems beyond containment. It’s as if he is leaping up and down and jumping for joy. Indeed, a well-loved soul is a soul that loves well!
I long to be this type of soul.
I long to be this type of person.
I confess today, however, that I often am not. In fact, I am quite the opposite.
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