PSALM 116:12-19 – “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, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!”

THEME OF THE DAY: EXERCISING GUTSY FAITH.   Repetition is a great tool of learning.  Whether it be repetition in a classroom, on a job, or in a training environment, we learn a lot by repeating things.  In scripture, repetition is often used for emphasis. Jesus did.  When repetition occurs in scripture it sends the message, “Sit up. Pay attention.  I am repeating this because it is important.”

In today’s scripture, notice the repetition. The sentence “I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people” appears twice in verses fourteen and eighteen. Another repeated theme is that of the Psalmist being the Lord’s servant – “I am your servant” appearing twice, consecutively, in verse sixteen.  Don’t forget these as today’s devotion unfolds.

This Psalm is extremely moving.  The writer is experiencing intense emotional warfare in his life – “The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish”, “I was brought low”, “You delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling”, “I am greatly afflicted” (Psalm 116:3, 6, 8, 10). It would be easy for him to give into his feelings, emotions, circumstances and “cut corners” on his commitment to the Lord.  Too many Christians do this.  They live their Christian lives more by feelings than faith. They let emotions and circumstances dictate their obedience.  For them, their walk with the Lord is like a roller coaster.  Not this Psalmist.  Regardless of how he feels, he proclaims two things; that he is the Lord’s servant and that he will keep his commitment.

We live the Christian life by faith, and the evidence of sincere faith is obeying God’s commands.  Obedience is also the way we express love for the Lord.  Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). It is an obedience of the will not emotions. But the only way we consistently obey is to remember and apply what the Psalmist does.  He knew he was not his own. He was a servant of the Lord, and this servant was under complete control of his life by his master.  Same for us.  We are the Lord’s possession and called to be His servants.  This means we don’t get to choose to obey Him when we feel like it.  We don’t let circumstances and emotions rule.  Yet there is more.

The Psalm states, “I will keep my vows to the Lord in the presence of His people.”  He knew people watched him, as they do us, and our testimonies before a watching world must be ones of consistency to show the reality and sufficiency of the Lord Jesus.  To be an obedient Christian when we feel like it or when our emotions are stable only sends a message of confusion to a watching world.  And that is why the Christian life requires the exercise of gutsy faith!

PRAYER: Father, may I not allow my emotions and circumstances compromise my commitment to You.

REFLECTION: Obedience, which is an exercise of faith, is not driven by emotions and circumstances.