Actually, more to today’s reading in Psalm 116 —
What shall I render to the LORD
for all his benefits to me?
What can I give to God for everything he has given me?
- Being born
- My very next breath
- The very next beat of my heart
- Being called to Him
- Being saved from sin thru Jesus
- Giant morning hugs from my sweet daughter
- A steaming cup of coffee
- My paycheck which I received today
- A long holiday weekend
- A morning smooch from my sweetie
…and those are just a few that come to mind just in the 30 seconds I thought about it.
So, according to the Bible, what should I give back to the LORD for everything He has given to me?
- I will lift up the cup of my salvation
- Call upon the name of the LORD
- Pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of His people
John Piper in “Future Grace” hones in on this right away, and I probably can’t summarize it better than he can.
First, lifting up the cup of salvation signifies taking the Lord’s satisfying salvation in hand, and drinking it, and expecting more.
Do I consider God to be my source of salvation – do I drink it down like cold clear water on a hot day, savoring it, and then holding the empty cup up to Him to fill it again? He is my source of life.
Second…What shall I render to God for graciously answering my call? I shall call again.
Do I continue to find GOD as THE source of my hope? That I find all hope in Him that I continue to come back to Him every day. God delights in us, and we delight in Him. Ps 112:1 “Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments”
Third…the psalmist says “I will pay my vows to the LORD” but how will they be paid? They will be paid by holding up the cup of salvation and by calling on the Lord. That is, they will be paid by faith in future grace.
While we are on the subject of “paid” – going back to Ps. 112, it continues in verse 3 to explain how the man who fears the LORD is blessed
Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever
What we have financially is from God. (Solomon reminded us of that yesterday in 1 Chron 29) Let us remember that part of paying our vows is being obedient and paying back the the Lord a small part of what he has allowed us to have in the first place. In this economy churches are getting rocked with very low giving – we must remain faithful and continue to pay our vows to the Lord in the midst of his people.
Why?
The answer again is in the Psalms – 116:2
Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live
Mike Ruel 