Benefits

 Psalm 103:2 ESV 

 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 
 

We are to bless the Lord. We're not just to pay him lip service. Our very souls are to bless his holy name.

 Benefits have a negative connotation in the UK, which has a relatively generous welfare state which arguably many people exploit. Lots of people are on state benefits who should be working and benefiting the greater good by paying taxes. Spiritually, if we receive God's benefits, we're to bless others.

It's not enough to scrounge benefits from God and to be miserly with them. If he forgives us, we're to forgive others. If he's a Father to us, we should treat others like family.

As Jesus said, if we want to be forgiven, we need to forgive. We can't earn the benefit of forgiveness. Having been forgiven however, we should benefit others with forgiveness.

'O Lord, we bless your holy name. May we always remember your benefits to us, especially forgiveness. In Christ's name we ask this, amen'.  

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