Just Say Thanks
What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. – Psalm 116:12-13
A number of years ago, I worked with a young man named Curt. I remember clearly something he once said to
me: “You don’t take compliments very well.”
He had previously offered to me a simple compliment and somehow, in my desire not to appear conceited or proud, I had said enough negative things about
myself to make him sorry he had ever bothered to compliment me. He had not really asked for a sermonette on my human frailty; he was just trying to
be courteous and appreciative.
At a later time, my pastor clarified what to do in cases like this. He told us that if someone complimented him, perhaps on a recent sermon, he would respond,
“Thank you.” How simple!
From time to time people will, out of the goodness of their hearts, say something nice to you or perhaps go out of their way to show you kindness. They
may even give you a gift—something that is appropriate for your relationship with them. How helpful it is to know that all that is expected of
us in these situations is to accept what is offered (whether it is words or something more tangible), and to thank the giver in a way that shows we
really mean it.
There is a similar lesson in our key verse. Some might wonder how to receive answers to prayer from God. “I am just an ordinary person,” they might say,
“and I don’t see how God could ever do a miracle for me.” They might wonder what great deed they must do to impress God, or if they are just not good
enough to ever please Him. Sadly, some people who think this way never realize how God wants to work on their behalf. They just go on, bemoaning their
unworthiness, and never accepting the free promises in God’s Word.
The fact is that none of us is perfect. None of us deserves God’s love, but in spite of this, God loves us! He does not ask some heroic deed from us; all
He asks is that we simply obey Him and accept what He has provided for us. In fact, just taking the “cup of salvation” and calling on His name is very
pleasing to Him. Then, when He does bless us, we need to tell Him, “Thank You,” from the bottom of our hearts.