May 18,19 - Psalm 116:12

What shall I return to the Lord

for all his bounty to me?

Psalm 116:12

I used to work in advertising. Do you know what the point of advertising is? To make us dwell on what we don’t have (and thereby, buy more).

• The pervasiveness of this attitude – the myth of scarcity and the inflaming of unnecessary wants – makes it difficult for us to focus on God’s bounty (upon all that God has bountifully and generously given to us).

• Depression makes it difficult to focus on God’s bounty. I’ve experienced this one myself. It’s hard to be thankful for the light when we can’t even see much light.

• Grief makes it hard to focus on God’s bounty too. 

• Materialism makes it hard to focus on God’s bountiful generosity.

• A pride which says, “I earned all this myself,” is another barrier.

We can’t get to the point of ever “return[ing] to the Lord” unless and until we begin to see how generous God has been.

Our very life is a bountiful gift. The beauty of the earth is God’s generous offering to us. The promise of forgiveness is wonderful and freeing. An eternity of no more mourning or crying or pain is the ultimate treasure.

Can you see God’s bounty? And once you can, then Psalm 116 prompts us to ask, “What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?”

• The starting point is thanksgiving.

• An equal piece is love and worship and adoration.

• If the first and greatest command is to love God, the next thing we can give him is loving and serving our neighbors. After all, we bless him when we tend to the people he loves.

• Generosity and stewardship are another piece “returning to the Lord.” He gives us everything, and not only does our stewardship help his church, but it enriches our soul because through it we grow our trust in him. And that’s a form of worship and adoration too. 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who is overwhelmed

by God’s generosity