THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

157Even the most faithful among us are far too like the nine lepers. We are more ready topray than to praise, and more disposed to ask God for what we do not have, than to thank Himfor what we do have. Murmurings and complaints are common all around us, even in Christiancircles.The wide-spread thanklessness of Christians is the disgrace of our day. It is a plain proofof our little humility.We can always find reason for gratitude before God. Matthew Henry, the famous Biblecommentator, was robbed of his wallet once. He wrote in his diary that night all the things hewas thankful about:First, that he had never been robbed before.Second, that though they took his wallet, they did not take his life.Third, because even though they took it all, it wasn't very much.Finally, because he was the one who was robbed and not the one who was robbingAPPLICATIONLet us pray for a thankful spirit. It is the spirit which God loves and delights to honor.Gratitude is the spirit which has marked all the great saints in every age of the church. After all,gratitude is the spirit which is the very atmosphere of heaven where angels and righteous peopleare always blessing God. It is also the spirit which is the source of happiness on earth. If we arenot to be anxious about anything, we must make our requests known to God not only with prayerand petition, but with thanksgiving (Php 4:6).Above all, let us pray for a deeper sense of our own sinfulness. This, after all, is thetrue secret of a thankful spirit. It is the person who daily feels his debt to grace and dailyremembers that he deserves nothing but hell who will be daily thanking and praising God.