THE SIN OF INGRATITUDE
MEMORISE: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Psalms 103:2
READ: Deuteronomy 8:11 -18
11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
MESSAGE
A good study of the Scriptures will show you that probably the worst sin anyone can commit is that of ingratitude. Anyone who neither appreciates what has been done for him or her, nor knows how to show gratitude, cannot go far in life. When you read the story of the origin of sin in Genesis 3 in the Garden of Eden, you will see what I am talking about. God gave man an entire garden. It wasn’t Adam who planted the garden. God planted the garden and everything he would ever need was there. God then said He wanted to reserve just one tree for Himself. Man still went ahead and ate from that tree that was reserved tor God. Therefore God said, “Well, if you don’t appreciate all the things in this garden, then maybe you should leave it and go out to fend for yourself.”
In Malachi 3:8-10, where God says if you don’t bring all the tithes to His house, you are cursed, what He is actually saying is, “What is wrong with you? Whatever you have, I gave it to you. How come you can’t even say thank you with 10%?” When you read 1 Samuel 15 and compare it with 1 Samuel 10, you will see why God was so angry with King Saul. “When I wanted to appoint you king, you yourself said ‘Me of all people? My tribe is the smallest in Israel, my family is the smallest in my tribe, I am the smallest in my family and you want to make me a king”? Saul even went to hide because he himself saw that he was nothing. Now, God sent him on a mission and he didn’t carry out the instructions of the Lord. When the man of God came to talk to him in 1 Samuel 15 he reminded him that he was small even in his own eyes; how come he had now become so big that he had forgotten the One who promoted him? If you wait for God to remind you of His benefits towards you, then you are in trouble. However, if you make it a duty to always appreciate Him for his benefits in your life, then you will keep going higher and higher. David in our memory verse for today said he would never forget God’s benefits towards him. That is why he kept rising until he became father to the King of kings.
The elder in Africa have a saying that when you have done good to someone and the fellow is ungrateful, it is as if you have been attacked by an armed robber, don’t let God see you as an armed robber.
REFLECTION
Make a list of all the benefits of God in your life and thank Him specially for each of them.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 120- 124
HYMN 15: NOW THANK WE ALL OUR GOD
1 Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
2 O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
to keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
of this world in the next.
3 All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son and Spirit blest,
who reign in highest heaven
the one eternal God,
whom heaven and earth adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
