What Shall I Render to the Lord?

With fall and the start of school, everything else begins to "crank back up" at church--community groups, discipleship groups, etc. etc.

This fall, my women's discipleship group (the one I am a part of, not the one that I own or lead) is doing a Tim Keller bible study on praying the Psalms. Well, if you have been reading this blog for any length of time then you know that I am huge Keller fan. He "came into my life" at a very crucial time in my Graduate School days when many of my beliefs were being challenged by my English professors. Keller had answers to all of those challenges through his clear explanation of how the gospel is so very different from religion. Anyway, all of that to say, that I am very excited about studying the Psalms and studying how to pray because this is a subject I don't know tons about.

I have spent lots of time praying in my lifetime, beginning when I was a small child, but I haven't spent lots of time studying how to pray. The study I am doing now uses the Psalms as a guide, as a place to learn how to speak the language of prayer. And though I am only one week into the study, I have already learned, shock of all shocks, that prayer is not about me and my needs, but it is instead, about God and his glory. I have also realized, again shock of all shocks, that I tend to make it about me--as I do with most things in life.

In the study we are practicing how to take the prayers found in the Psalms and make them our own. Last week we looked at Psalm 116, and in verse 12-13, David (? my bible doesn't say, is this a Psalm of David?) asks, "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord." How often do I try to lift up my own goodness, my own "works" to the Lord, when in reality those works are simply filthy rags? What a reminder to me that all I have to offer up to the Lord in Thanksgiving is what he has done for me in Christ Jesus--my cup of salvation.

Recent events have caused me to think much about sin and the nature of sin in our lives, and how truly, our only hope is this cup of salvation. Apart from him and his death on the cross we have no good thing!!! But what hope we do have in that cup.

We sang a favorite hymn of mine this past Sunday at church, and I want to close with those words. I love them so because there is so much truth and Hope!!! in them.

Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition, all I've sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition! God and heaven are still my own.

Let the world despise and leave me, they have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me. Thou art not, like them, untrue.
O while Thou dost smile upon me, God of wisdom, love, and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me, Show Thy face and all is bright.

Man may trouble and distress me, Twil but drive me to Thy breast.
Life with trials hard may press me; Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, tis not in grief to harm me while Thy love is left to me;
Oh, 'twere not in joy to charm me, Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Go, there, earthly fame and treasure, Come disaster, scorn and pain
In Thy service, pain is pleasure, With Thy favor, loss is gain
I have called Thee Abba Father, I have stayed my heart on Thee
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather
all must work for good to me.

Soul, then know thy full salvation; Rise o'er sin and fear and care
Joy to find in every station, Something still to do or bear
Think what Spirit dwells within thee,
Think what Father's smiles are thine,
Think that Jesus died to win thee,
Child of heaven, canst thou repine.