[Referring to: Sermon of 01/16/2011 "It's Worth It" Note: There is an amazing video that ties into his message, that I hope you will watch. Check out my FB page as I could not post it here].
After last night's message from God through Pastor Joe Walser, I was thinking and initially challenged more along the lines of finances -- as we are making a shift at LifeBridge Church.
"What would You have us do, Lord?" I prayed, which led to "How can I repay you for all you have done?"
Ludicrous question as how does one repay the King of kings, Lord of lords, All-Sufficient One for
- life
- life eternal
- joy indescribable
- for unconditional love
- the forgiveness of sins, for redemption
- for ministry
- for being with and serving alongside my husband and the saints
- for Him using this sinful "clay pot"
- for even the pressures, sorrow which btw He uses for His glory and my transformation
- and for so much more
This morning, reading Psalm 116, I was encouraged that the psalmist asked the very same question --
"How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me?" v. 12
David wrote: "I will lift up the cup of my salvation"
I thought about that: lifting up the "cup of my salvation", a cup needing to be filled often, always by the LORD Jesus Himself. He is the Living Water, the only One who satisfies spiritual thirst. He will fill me -- not one time but again, and again, and again, and again and again, and again as I lift up the cup of my salvation to Him. No longer do I live, but Him...for He fills me with Himself...with His goodness for I got nothing.
Finite Barbara calling on infinite LORD again, and again, and again, and again, and again....[not just in my quiet time but all the time, living moment by moment calling upon His name]. If I call upon His name in faith -- more of Him, less of me as His goodness will pour out of me. Oh to "shut my pie hole" and first call upon the name of the LORD before I speak or act. Too often foulness pours out of me because I neglect to call on Him...because I don't lift up the cup of my salvation.
Surely that is one reason why it is commanded in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18, to "pray without ceasing...this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." His command to me is to call upon the name of the LORD without ceasing because I got nothing.
v. 14 "I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of His people
In and of myself, I got nothing, I'm inadequate...BUT the Almighty, the All-Sufficient LORD will fill me as I lift up "the cup of salvation." As I "call on Him", then and only then can I fulfill my vows. In Him, by grace I can pay my vows by faith -- able to obey HIM!! In all matters by lifting up the cup of my salvation, calling on the name of the LORD again and again and again and again.....
...As I got nothing, and He is everything, I can only repay the LORD with His own goodness. I will not only then tithe but give generously [my initial question], but also to submit to my husband, submit to leadership, forgive others, repent of my sins, to love, be kind, be merciful, turn the other cheek,, to shut my pie hole, etc...to reflect Him again, and again, and again, and again, and again...
