Articles
Benefits
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Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
(Psa. 103:2-5)
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When someone applies for a job in a corporate setting, one of the considerations in taking the job is the benefits package. Standard benefits generally include health insurance, an employee stock purchase plan, 401(k) investment plans, and paid vacations. Some companies offer more exotic perks like gym memberships or on-site game rooms for breaks. Companies know that bennies like these can make the difference in keeping employees happy and productive.
But when we sign on with God, we get a benefits plan like no other. In this psalm David itemized many of the privileges he enjoyed as a child of God: forgiveness, healing, mercy, renewed strength, compassion, and so forth. Companies can provide services that address our physical comfort, but only God can grant gifts that nourish our souls. It is this constant spiritual and psychological refreshment that keeps us young at heart.
This benefits package is still available today to anyone who wants it, but with one catch. They are available only to "those who fear Him . . . such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them" (v. 17-18). Like corporate benefits, we have to join the team before we can participate. We have to show up for work, and do the job we were "hired" to do. In a world that mocks God and everything He represents, that commitment requires courage. Even after we come on board, sometimes we can get so bogged down in the daily grind that we lose sight of who we're working for and the value of the privileges available to us.
Forget not all His benefits. Remember how fortunate you are to be on God's payroll, and serve Him with all the enthusiasm such a generous employer deserves.
Oh, and one more thing: about that retirement plan . . . .
--David
