God's Benefits

I love the whole idea behind the 'vintage' craze. I think it's about finding things that remind you of a simpler, less busy, more community-oriented time. There's something about using or wearing something that was a common item during my grandmother's day or earlier that really makes me feel like everything I do today has weight or importance for my grand children. It makes me think and slow down enough to make each moment count.

I found a vintage devotional for Kristine. It was written by Frances Ridley Havergal in 1874. She also wrote many hymns, including "Take My Life". This 4"x3" book is called "Little Pillows--Goodnight thoughts for the little ones". But you know, there is so much meat in there that it cannot be read once and forgotten. We've been reading it each month for the last 5 months or so, and loving each little pillow as we come to it. Tonights installment in entitled 'God's Benefits' and I'll post it here as it is in the book.

"Forget not all His benefits"--Ps 103:2

If some kind friend made you a present of twenty pounds to buy all sorts of things with, would you not feel rather hurt if he thought it necessary to say to you, "Do not forget that I gave you this"? Of course you would not forget, you could not possibly be so ungrateful. But what if, after all, you had forgotten, and had all you nice things around you without ever recollecting him, would it not touch your heart if he came again and said very gently, "Do not forget"?

I need not tell you Who and what I mean. You know! Have you been forgetting all His benefits, forgetting to thank Him for them, just as if they had come of themselves? Oh, ask Him now to forgive you this sin of forgetfulness, for Jesus Christ's sake! But now that He has reminded you and forgiven you, ask Him for the Holy Spirit to help you to recollect His benefits instead of forgetting them.

"His benefits" means all teh good things He has done for you, and all the good things he has given you. Try to count up "His benefits" of this one day; and then think of those ofyesterday, and last week and all the year and all your life since you were a little baby! You will soon find that there are more than you can count, and you will begin to see how very much you have to thank Him for.

And then recollect His still greater benefits--the great gift of Jesus Christ Himself to be your Saviour and Redeemer, and the great gift of salvation throughHim, and all His promises of grace and glory!

David speaks of 'the multitude of His tender mercies,' and Isaiah tells of 'the multitude of His loving-kindnesses.' Are not these true and beautiful words? Will you not turn them into a song of thanksgiving, and say, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who crowneth thee with loving-kindess and tender mercies!'

'Now my evening praise I give;
Thou didst die that I might live;
All my blessings come from Thee,
Oh how good Thou art to me!

'Thou, my best and kindest Friend,
Thou wilt love me to the end;
Let me love Thee more and more,
Always better than before.'