How Can I Repay the Lord

How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of Salvation
And call on the name of the LORD

Psalm 116 vv12&13

Psalm 116 begins, "I love the LORD, for he heard ... my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me I will call on him as long as I live." The psalmist cries for help, acknowledges his deliverer and wants to know how he can show his gratitude. To become a disciple of Jesus is to be called to service but where does our motivation come from? Jesus doesn't promise a long life, fame or fortune; in fact he promises trouble and persecution. "Escape from the frying pan", he cries, "I have a fire waiting for you!"

When people ask for work they often list their qualifications and aspirations and will explain how working for you appeals to them. They seem to think that telling you what they want will make then attractive as employees but fail to grasp that its what they can give to you, not what you can give to them that makes them attractive. When we come to God our CV makes dismal reading. We have no qualification or experience to offer. We cannot make God richer or more efficient and who would give us a reference? Yet he is looking for people who seek first his kingdom and righteousness. What a hopeless situation. Fortunately God meets us where we're at and rescues us from a self-serving and hopeless situation.

He understands our selfishness, that if we have what we need we will forget the one who gave it to us. Its one thing to be half full and for God to fill us up; its altogether different to be bone dry and be desperate for God's mercy. When he hears and answers us in our state of helplessness we connect on a deeper level. Its in gratitude for what God has done - not with any confidence in what we can do - that we ask 'How can I repay the LORD.' It's the cup of salvation that gives us confidence as we call on his name and it's in the name of the great I AM that we face whatever lies ahead. "But he who has been forgiven little loves little", (Luke 7:47).

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