‘Benefits Of God’

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?”  

Psalm 116:12

Have you ever been in a situation where someone has done something for you that totally blew your mind, because it was such a huge surprise?  I remember back when I had my very first car. I had to pay for it myself along with the insurance to operate it.

Man, I was on cloud nine!  Well, it wasn’t but a very short couple of weeks I was sitting at a red light of a major intersection in Southern California street, while I was waiting for the light to turn green, that I looked in my rear view mirror and to my shock; I saw a car approaching me that evidently was not aware that (a) The light was red, and (b) there was a car in front of him.

Well, you can guess what happened next as I braced myself, clutching tightly onto the steering wheel for the impact.  He hit my car so hard that his vehicle literally pushed my car into the middle of the street.  Thank God, I was but a wee 18 year old, so the impact of the crash didn’t do much harm to me.  But such was not the case for my first car. It had to be towed away, and later on as I contacted my  Insurance Company that I was told the car was ‘totaled’ and that they were going to give me 500.00 for it.

Left without much choice, I took the 500.00 and begin to ponder how I was going to get another car, so I could get to work.  THEN, something happened that came totally unexpected.  My Aunt, who pretty much raised me, called me and said she was going to GIVE me 2,000 to help get another car!  To this day, I have never forgotten that act of kindness and generosity towards me.  I recall when I told her I would pay her back on monthly installments that she replied; “No, this is a gift from me to you!”  I didn’t get to repay her for helping me when I really needed it.

Maybe you have some stories like this you’d like to share, I’d love to hear them, and post them for all to see how God has provided for us especially when we weren’t looking for it.

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?”  

The Amplified Bible words this passage: “How can I repay Him for all His bountiful dealings?  for all His Goodness towards me,”

How can I repay Him?  For all the times and ways He has guided and directed my path, always leading me, “beside still waters”, where I was provided rest, provision, and a time to think upon Him, fellowship with God while He, at the same time is working out the finishing touches on His ‘benefits’  towards me.  The wonderful thought in this is that everything that happens in our lives requires an action and reaction.  When an action comes up that we don’t expect, unless it favors us, we react in different ways, but most of it results with, “what do I do now?”  God allows ‘accidents’ to happen so that He can behold how very carefully and detailed He has prepared the ‘benefits’ that for the most part we don’t deserve!

The word ‘benefits’ in the dictionary is defined as ‘To do good, to give us an Advantage, to Profit from”    It is the very heart of God, as our Father, to take such good care of us, that His desire is that we know that He gives us the advantage over every circumstance and situation in our lives, and that we profit from it.

” For what father of you, if the son asks for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake for a fish?   Or if he shall ask for an egg, will he give him a scorpion?   If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”  Luke 11:11-13

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?”  

So how than do we repay God?   The following two verses describe it.

“I will take the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of Jehovah. I will pay my vows unto Jehovah, Yea, in the presence of all his people.”

In those days, the ceremonial sacrifice system was still in effect.  That applied here with what was called a “Thanksgiving Offering”   Since Jesus has replaced the sacrificial  part of that by Himself, we come to Jesus, and bring our thanksgiving offering.  We can do that by lifting our hands in praise, giving Him thanks and giving Him all the credit for what He has done.  After all, “Every good and perfect gift comes from above” Since Jesus has risen from the dead and hase ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God,  and since He said that “the Father has given Me authority over all things in heaven, all things on earth, and all things under the earth” we can be assured we are directing our thanksgiving  where it counts.

There is the temptation from the evil one , that when ‘pleasant surprises’ come our way, that we don’t acknowledge where the benefit, blessing came from.  That is a mistake that we ought to be on alert over.  If we can’t see that everything we have, everything that is given to us, all of it; good or ‘bad’ all comes through God’s hand and is from Him.

In closing today, I want to share with you a personal benefit the Lord has given me. I pondered three days in how I could repay Him for what He has done, and at the end of it all as I prayed and pondered and waited, He gave me this blog writing.  You see, it all comes back to the grace of God. All who He is. That He gives me benefits that I don’t deserve, and I don’t expect. He is the benefactor, He is the praise of my heart. I owe Him the gratitude of letting others know that it is God alone, and my thanksgiving with a true and humble heart is what He desires from me.

My doctor wanted me to have a detailed CT scan for a ‘progress report” and a baseline from which to work from as my chemotherapy approaches completion.  I have 4 treatments left, the next coming this Wednesday.   Well, I have to admit my human nature side of myself was filled with possibilities of what would show up on that scan. MY spirit was reminded of the promise God gave me when I was diagnosed with cancer. “Marty, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, and that His Son might be glorified thereby”   So, last Thursday I went.

Even as this giant scanning machine was taking its pictures of what was going on inside of me, I thought to myself, Marty, how interesting that even though they are taking a detailed picture of what is going on physically in me, they can’t take a picture of the faith God has given me through His promise,  I thought, how cool is that!  That fulfills the 2nd part of God’s promise for me. That ‘His Son might be glorified thereby” 

At that point, when the scan proceeded and I was asked to take a deep breath and hold it. I chuckled to myself, there’s going to be no way I will keep from testifying of the victory God has given me. I will not hold my breath in sharing with others all God has benefited to me!

Through all this, and all He has planned for me, He WILL be glorified. People WILL be amazed, as they have along this journey!  That He is doing a special work here, and He’ asked me to be a part of it!

Well, the next day, Dr. Lowe calls my wife, Patty with the results. He said, “the scan looks excellent!  There is no cancer that I can identify.”  Now, remember, Dr. Lowe; before I began my first treatment five months ago, said prophetically, “As far as I’m concerned, reviewing your scan from the hospital, you could be healed already.”  What a joy for me, that God is revealing all this starting with Dr. Lowe, and all others who have prayed for me.

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?”  

Truly, I am forever thankful to God for all His benefits towards me, and my rendering has become my very life, His healing, and His giving me the opportunity to testify of His Mighty work, because Jesus will “keep on” being glorified through my life.

Today’s Video:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKhW9glNeW0