Read: Psalm 116. 

You may have sung this psalm very often. It is usually one of the first psalms that you learn as a little child: “I love the Lord.” And these are beautiful words to sing.

The author of this psalm had been going through some very difficult things. He says that the pains of death surrounded him. But during his troubles he called out to the Lord. He prayed and the Lord heard him and helped him.

The good news for us is that the Lord hears and answers us too. When you cry out to him in your trouble, he will hear you. He will listen to your prayers and he will give you all that you need. This doesn’t mean that your troubles will always go away. But God will always help you through your hard times. He will carry you and give you what you need.

And it also means that God will help you with your biggest need. Your biggest trouble is your sins. They are so great that God cannot love you because of them. And yet God does love you. He loves you because he has chosen you to be his child and because Christ has died on the cross for you. He loves you for Christ’s sake.

Because of God’s grace to you, you can ask, just like the psalmist does, “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me?” How can I thank the Lord for his blessings to me?

And just like the psalmist, you can thank the Lord for his love for you by accepting his gift of salvation to you. Thank him for his forgiveness and love, and promise to always serve the Lord. With the psalmist you can say, “I will pay my vows to the Lord.” To vow means to promise. Together with all other believers, you can thank and praise the Lord for his goodness.

Reflection with your child:

How can you thank the Lord for his blessings to you?