By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
The assistant pastor of God’s Greater Grace General Assembly Intl Incorporated, Benin, Pastor Osazee Aibangbee has once again reminded christian faithful that they do not need to have more than enough before they could show gratitude to God.
He disclosed this while speaking on the topic entitled “Were are the nine others”? during the Sunday church service in Benin City.
Taking his bible reading from the book of Luke 17:11-19, he gave an account of the 10 lepers who were healed by Jesus but only one out of the 10 beneficiaries came to show an appreciation while the nine others basked in the euphoria of their new health status and zoomed off.
“Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, 10 men who had leprosy met him.
“They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
“When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
“Jesus asked, “Were not all 10 cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well”, Luke 17:11-19
Pastor Aibangbee said most christians may have prepared a very long list of material demands expecting them to be meant in no record time but when some of them are not meant, they become very agitated and dejected.
Aibangbee said that is not an attitude and attribute of a good christian adding that being alive, is worthwhile than all the material demands.
He said there are a lot of persons in the hospitals with all their financial strength and social connections, wishing to be healthy and back on their feet again but they are still very much incapacitated but surprisingly to those who are healthy and physically fit, they are aggrieved that their long list of material demands have not been meant.
The clergyman said an appreciation for a little is an application for more, stressing that believers must learn from the life of Jesus who with five loaves of bread and two fish, without minding the intimidating crowd, took the items and blessed them and consequently resulting to 12 more baskets left.
“As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
“Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
“Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.
“Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
“The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children”, Matthew 14:15-21.
The assistant pastor of the church said David knew the importance of appreciation that is why it was repeated several times in the book of Psalms because His mercy endures forever.
He called on believers to capitalize on this season of thanksgiving to give thanks to God and show appreciation to Him because Him alone deserves our praises adding that, some of those who started the year with them are in six feet below the earth while they are still standing with their heads high on their shoulders.
