One common mentality/denominator found amongst Christians, regardless of riches or poverty, is the ‘entitlement syndrome’. This mind-set oftentimes leads to a mindlessness of who we are as Christians, making us to resort to a comparism of ourselves and the other people ‘blessed by our God’. We forget in its entire that we “are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of His own, so that you may announce the praises” of Him Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1Pet 2: 9).
This state of mind is how we end up questioning God and rationalise it by our worthiness and faithfulness in keeping the commandments of God. In fact, we end up saying to God that we are better off than the people He blesses while we suffer and languish in precarious situations as if our sins alone killed Jesus on Calvary. Understandably, forgetfulness is not only a mental disorder but also a psychological problem; because, “If You, Lord, mark our sins, Lord, who can stand?” (Ps 130: 3).
This ‘I deserve this/that’ or ‘I do not deserve this/that’ consciousness for us Christians is as an upshot of the fact that we fail, each time this thought presents itself, to realise that it is not ‘I’ but the Lord Who calls and sanctifies the call. It is God Himself Who chose to bless whomever He chooses to bless: “I will show mercy to whom I will, I will take pity on whom I will,” (Rom. 9: 15). That I am a Christian is not an antidote to problems; I am simply privileged to be called.
When Sarah laughed (Gen. 18: 11-12), it was not because she forgot about God but she thought of herself as an old woman who had gone pass menopause and could not ovulate again or have sexual pleasure; she was already 90 years of age at the material time of the promise by God (Gen. 18:10). Yet, God was determined to fulfil His promise to Abraham: “But the Lord said to Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I really bear a child, old as I am?’ Is anything too marvellous for the Lord to do? At the appointed time, about this time next year, I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son” (Gen. 18: 13-14).
When Lot hesitated to depart from Sodom and Gomorrah, the two Angels who came to destroy the city grabbed him, his wife and his two daughters, and led them out of the city. This is because, God had promised Abraham that He would save Lot and his household from the impending doom of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:16). He is a covenant keeping God; there is no one like Him. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End; the Author and Finisher of our Faith.
Our unfaithfulness notwithstanding, He is faithful and He never fails His promises. Regardless of whether we keep faith, He never abandons us, rather He searches still for our return home like the prodigal son. Therefore, as faithful followers, we must never waiver in our reliance upon His grace to see us through whatever we may be going through; bearing in mind that He Who did not consider Sarah’s doubt but promised and kept His promise will meet us at the point of our needs.
Our dispositions as Christians, therefore, should be resignation to the will of God; bearing in mind “the Lord’s message to Zerubbabel: Not by an army, nor by might, but by my spirit, says the Lord of Hosts” (Zec. 4: 6). Like the Roman Centurion who approached Jesus as He entered Capernaum, supplicating on behalf of his servant, our prayer should be: “Lord, I am not worthy to have You enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed” (Mt. 8:8).
‘Wagbemiga Mary-Peter Onifade
CEO,
Wagbemiga Media Services
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