I conducted the funeral of an old saint yesterday who stepped into eternity after 93 years journey here on earth. Standing to one side of the room, prior to the service, listening to an hymn playing over the sound system, I filled up with gratitude, amazed that God would choose to use me to bring His Word and comfort to those who mourned. "Why me, Lord?" I asked Him. There is nothing about me that qualifies me to enjoy such trust, to have this privilege of being a shepherd to His flock. It is a grace gift - start to finish. Then, after the service, there was another 'gift.' A young girl, part of the family and from the congregation I serve, rode with me from the funeral home to the cemetery. Our time in that short ride was a gift to this Pastor. I so enjoyed talking with her about her life, her plans, her dreams. And again, I asked the Lord, "Why do I enjoy these kinds of blessings?"
Do you feel entitled to different circumstances, greater joy, more respect? If you allow that attitude, you will miss the joy of the moment! The entitlement mentality creeps up on us stealthily and becomes a blot of darkness in us. When we don't get what we feel that we are entitled to receive, we become miserable. When I start to think that I should be treated differently, given more of this or that, have a bigger place in life - I get ugly. I cut myself off from the love of others and the peace of God by focusing on myself, my perceived needs, my desires. The Spirit withdraws His fellowship and others stay away; and why not? A person wrapped up in himself is a very small and unattractive package!
Do you believe that God owes you - blessings, healing, salvation, peace, joy? Many Christians do! They twist God's rich and wonderful promises into entitlement contracts and their prayers are more like legal briefs thatpresent demands for actions than conversations with a Friend. These Believers turn faith into a 'gimme' system that says, "God, you promised; now, pay up!" How tragic, how misguided. Our Father in Heaven loves tobless and He does, but He owes you and me NOTHING. His gifts are based in grace, not merit.
One day Jesus was traveling and came upon ten men who suffered one of the worst fates in that time. They were lepers. When leprosy became evident on a person's skin, he was immediately separated from the community, as a means of keeping the spread of the disease to a minimum- no more living in his home, no more meals with his family, none of life's pleasures were available. Instead, the wretch lived as a beggar outside of town, usuallynear the dump from which he scavenged the scraps that kept him alive! When the ten lepers realized who was approaching, they yelled - "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" He looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, their leprosy disappeared. Luke 17:14 (NLT) Imagine their joy when they saw their skin clearing, all evidence of their leprous condition gone, given the desperate situation that they lived in because of it! Now, here's the part of the story that I want to emphasize today. "One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, "Praise God, I'm healed!" He fell face down on the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine?" (Luke 17:15-17, NLT)
If we think that we are entitled to the blessing of God, we will not even think of thankfulness! Instead, we'll simply believe that God paid up, made good on the deal. The downside of that line of thinking is that when things go badly, when life falls apart, we will beat ourselves up wondering what we did that brought such grief on our heads. The Psalmist reminds us - "He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." (Psalm 103:9-14, NIV)
Are you grateful today?
Does thankfulness overflow from you?
Or is God asking, "where is the gratitude, where is the recognition of My mercy?"
Let's not be found wanting when it comes to returning thanks.
Here's a word from the Word. Note the benefit of waiting on God with thanksgiving!
"Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." (Philippians 4:6-7, The Message)
This Thanksgiving, check your heart for areas where entitlement has taken up residence. Get rid of it and realize, anew, the gifts of kindness and mercy that come your way. Then, liberally give thanks - to God, to friends, to family.
___________________
Why me Lord?
What have I ever done,
To deserve even one
Of the Pleasures I've known?
Tell me Lord?
What did I ever do
That was worth loving you,
Or the Kindness you've shown?
Lord help me Jesus,
I've wasted it so,
Help me, Jesus, I know what I am.
Now that I know that
I've needed you so,
Help me Jesus,
my soul's in your Hand.
Try me, Lord!
If you think there's a Way
I can try to repay,
All I've taken from you
Maybe Lord, I can show someone else what
I've been through myself
On my way back to you.
Lord help me Jesus,
I've wasted it so,
Help me, Jesus, I know what I am.
Now that I know that
I've needed you so,
Help me Jesus, my soul's in your Hand.
Amen
( Words And Music By Kris Kristofferson )
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