Lord, Load Us With Benefits

I noticed something in my studies today.  It's in Psalm 68:19 which says, 

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens."  NIV

The same verse in KJV reads like this, 

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation."

A couple of other translations for you to consider,

"Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms."  NLT

"Blessed be the Lord: day by day doth he load us with good, the God who is our salvation."  Darby

I am confident the intent of the text here, regardless of which translation we may be reading,  we have a God who is taking care of us.  

God's provision can be seen primarily in creation.  For Adam and Eve, God provided everything they needed to make their lives comfortable and happy.  We know problems started to happen when sin entered the picture, and mankind  suffered the consequences.  But even with God's perfect creation being marred by sin, he didn't stop loving or providing for his people. 

God's complaining chosen people in the wilderness, preferring to go back into slavery, were constant recipients of blessing after blessing.  Throughout the Old Testament we see sinful people choosing to follow after idols instead of God, but he was always there to rescue them and deliver them in time of need.  Isaiah the prophet told God's children saying, God would be with them regardless of whatever difficulty they faced. (Isaiah 42:2-3)

It is no wonder then, when we come to the New Testament, Jesus, the Savior of the world, came to the end of his earthly ministry with the words, "I will be with you always."

Now that we have established and believe in a providing God, it should make a difference in the way we conduct ourselves in life. Do we live with the confidence that God is with us always?  Can we testify that he bears our burdens? Do we recognize daily that God "loads us with benefits?"

We have recently enjoyed the gifts of another Christmas season.  Have you opened all your presents? Are there still some wrapped under your tree? How would you feel if you purchased a gift for some loved one, and learned it had not been opened? God gives us gifts for our use to bless other lives and build up the body of Christ.  Those gifts are worthless until we use them for his glory.

We pray, God, thank you for your provision and care for us. We know you love us and bless us with those gifts which help us bring glory to you. Continue to "daily load us with benefits(gifts)" that we can use in service to you and our fellow man.  Continue to carry our burdens.  Thank you for Jesus and the salvation he brings.  In his name, Amen."

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