Topic: Guilt of Entitlement Mentality
Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 27-29; Luke 17:1-19.
Memory Verse: “And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? [18] There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.” Luke 17:17-18 (KJV)
I used to see myself as very healthy as I walked regularly as a form of exercise. Generally, I walked between 7km and 14km a day and I wasn’t taking medicine of any kind but always resting, exercising and taking warm/hot water whenever I felt weak or down for any ailment. I also ensured I cared about what I ate. Generally, I enjoyed divine health and honestly, I took it for granted. I felt it was normal or can I say given as I took good care of my body.
Suddenly, I experienced some pains in my left leg and I prayed over it, had some exercises and went for an outreach. At the end of the program, I was healed and I felt great and thankful to God. But then a week after, the right leg pain started and it gradually became a major source of worry as I did all I could and it didn’t abate,. Then I had to see a Physiotherapist but things did not improve and I later had to do various tests including MRI and X-rays and visited a neuro surgeon who said it was due to my previous sitting position for a long period as well as my age. He said it was only curable by surgery. But the critical part of the ailment was that I could no longer stand or walk for more than a few seconds.
It was then it dawned on me that I had been presumptuous on my health. I took standing up and walking among other things for granted and I didn’t see it as any serious issue that I should show special gratitude to God for. I was in this state for three months and my attitude to my body changed!
So many of us take the basic things we do for granted. You can walk, stand up for minutes without pain, you can eat on your own without being fed, you can breathe unaided, your inner parts function well without hitch and so you lay more emphasis on what you do not have and appreciate less what you already have. In fact you presume that those things will always work not realizing that every functioning part of your body is by the grace of our maker! I think this is why we are less grateful than we should be. This also explains the situation with the lepers in our passage in Luke 17; who were healed without any special prayer but by mere pronouncement from the Lord and so they took it for granted. And Jesus had to speak on this in Luke 17:17-18 (KJV), “And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? [18] There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.”
How many things have you taken for granted like me or even the nine lepers and you have not shown gratitude to either the person who God used to help you or more importantly to God Almighty? That is why the elders in my part of the country has a saying that “ whoever can think deeply will know how to show gratitude. ”
Action point: Review your past week and identify areas you need to show gratitude and do so to God this morning and thereafter to whoever God had used to bless you in the period.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero