Mensa Otabil - Remember the Lord's Benefits (09/29/2025)
Welcome to day number 37 of our 40 days of power—three more days to go. Today, we are talking about remembering God’s benefits. Psalm 103, verse two reads, «Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.» David was a man with a very tender heart towards God, and one of his attributes was gratitude to God for all the things that God had done for him. Despite facing some bad things, he was always grateful for what God did for him, and he tells us in this psalm not to take God for granted: «Bless the Lord and forget not His benefits.» A benefit is something that works to our advantage, and if you look at the next verses after this, from verse three to verse five, David listed six benefits that we have from the Lord. He talks about forgiveness of all our iniquities, healing of our diseases, deliverance from destruction, crowning our lives with God’s mercies, satisfaction with good things, and renewal of our youth. He says these are the benefits, the advantages that God gives to us, and we must not forget them.
We remember the benefits of the Lord for two main reasons. First, so we can claim the benefits of the Lord. When God says that something is a benefit to you, it means that it’s something He has given to you as an advantage, but you must claim it. It’s like having a coupon that gives you some value in a shop—maybe a 10% or 20% discount when you purchase something. You may have the coupon, but until you go to the shop and claim it, that benefit will not work to your advantage. So, the blessings of God are for us, but we must claim them, we must receive them, and we must activate them in our lives. The reason we don’t forget His benefits is so that we don’t let them just stay in the books and never claim them in our lives. It’s good that you know that God has a benefit for you. He wants you to be saved, healed, satisfied with good things, and to renew your life—these are all benefits He wants to give you. However, they are not automatically in your life; you have to claim them.
The second reason we remember the benefits of the Lord is so that we can thank Him for them. When God does something great for you, you have to remember that this is the doing of the Lord. You need to remember to go and thank Him, to praise Him, and to declare that thanksgiving to God is not just something you say with your mouth. When someone does something great for you, it’s good to say it with your mouth, but it’s also important to do something to demonstrate that you appreciate what God or that person has done for you. We do tangible things to show appreciation to human beings who do good things for us; how much more for God, who gives us such a multitude of benefits! Remember to show appreciation for all the benefits of the Lord to you. You being alive now is a great benefit—thank God for it. So, the next time you notice something great in your life—the benefit of God—pause and give Him thanks for it.
Why don’t we pray? Say with me: «Heavenly Father, thank You for Your many benefits to me today. I claim every benefit You have made available to me in Jesus' name, amen and amen.» Well, I’ll see you again. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.