Psalm 116:7-14
7 Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
8 For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
10 I believed, even when [1] I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 I said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”
12 What shall I render to the Lord
for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord,
14 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people. (ESV)
Footnotes
[1] 116:10 Or believed, indeed; Septuagint believed, therefore
The audio of this sermon was cut short due to battery failure–here is the text of the sermon ending:
Charles Spurgeon put it well, speaking about this passage, when he said, “How can those do this who have never with their mouth confessed their Savior? O secret disciples, what say you to this verse? Be encouraged to come into the light and own your Redeemer.” Maybe you have grown up in the church, or maybe you recently came to trust in Christ. You believe in your heart but something is holding you back from publicly professing your faith. The apostle Paul clearly uses the word “confess with your mouth” in Romans 10:9, and he’s not just talking about informal conversation. He’s saying, if you believe that Jesus is your Savior, be willing to come out publicly with your faith. That is the first serious step in the life of faith.
One of Robin Williams’ most famous movies, Dead Poets Society, has a Latin phrase that many have embraced as a life motto: Carpe Diem: “Seize the Day.” Grab life by the horns and live it. It’s a good motto. But I have a much better one for you: Coram Deo: “Before the Face of God.” Live your life in the coming year and beyond in the presence of a God who loves you, who gave his Son for you and loves you enough to get in your face when you don’t act like his child. Live your life as if he walks beside you, watching your ever action and with you everywhere you go. Because he is.
Reflect the goodness of God, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, in your response of goodness of life. You’ll never regret it.