What can mortal man give to his
God? By Archibald Brown From What
Shall I Give Him? 1870 What shall I render to the Lord
for all his benefits towards me? What shall I render to the
Lord? Here is a question far easier
asked than answered. I confess that in studying this
subject, when I asked my soul this question and then tried
faithfully to answer it, I found myself completely bewildered.
I found I had all the desire in the world to render something.
But what? Think for a moment of the possessions
of God. What can mortal man give to his
God? How can the treasury of the Creator
be enriched by the gifts of the creature? The thought of our
God's infinite wealth makes the question of our text appear next
door to an impertinence. Listen but to his own words.
I have no need of a bull from your stall, or goats from your
pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle
on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains,
and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I
would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. Psalm 50 verses 9 through 12
The golden veins of the everlasting hills are his, and the hidden
treasures of the vast deep belong to him. Lift up your eyes on
high some starry night, and behold the bespangled skies. Every glittering
speck you see is a rolling world, and every world is the result
of his handiwork. The heavens are but his jewel-case. now say believer what you will
lay at the feet of him who can place his hand upon heaven earth
and hell and say all is mine but apart from the possessions
of our God there is another insupportable difficulty to answering the question
and that is our own poverty it is total poverty talking making
a gift to infinite wealth Ransack your memory. Run over your accounts. Find out what you possess. What
is the sum total? Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. We are miserable bankrupts, not
worth a jot. The very bread we eat is the
bread of divine charity, and the breath we draw is lent to
us. It is utter emptiness talking
of giving to the perfection of fullness. It is the beggar rendering
to the benefactor. If we were able to give him anything,
it would be but rendering to him what is already his own. what do we have that we have
not first received from God? everything comes from you and
we have given you only what comes from your hand first chronicles
chapter twenty nine verse fourteen the hearts gratitude is all the
saint can give in return for divine mercies that are fresh
with every hour and as numerous as the seconds in the day but
if thanksgiving is good remember thanks living is better therefore
let your whole life join in the harmony live for him who died
for you the highest praise that mortal saint can give is the
praise that vents itself in the exclamation for me to live is
Christ give him your love Nothing testifies to gratitude so much. Indeed, where love is lacking,
no true praise can exist. Do not be afraid of loving him
too much. Do not fear being thought a fanatic
or considered an enthusiast. If you could love him to a flaming
passion, you would not love him half enough. Give him your love. He asks for it and will pardon
its weakness.