Reason to Be Thankful

Luke 7:4

New International Version

When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”

For Your Encouragement

They said he deserved to have Jesus come to heal his servant because he had built a synagogue for them. 

The Centurion said he did not deserve to have Jesus come under his roof to heal the servant. All he needed was a favor, which issues from His compassionate heart. 

A contrast of perceptions. 

The people of this world think they deserve everything—including salvation. They deserve whatever they ask from God because they are good people. They pray much, give generously, serve well in church, give much, and have been faithful spouses and parents. While all those things are good and necessary, none of them accords anyone the right to anything. 

It is just the grace of God: the air you breathe, the blood that flows freely through your veins, the taste you have for the delicacies on your table, the income from the work of your hands, the ability to make the wealth you boast of, and everything else, as mundane as a good night’s sleep. None of us deserves anything from God because of our goodness or works. If grace has located you because of His love, prostrate before Him and give Him praise. Tell Him how unworthy you are of anything and thank Him.

He says all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Think about it. He told King Saul, that He does not delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as our obedience to what He says (1 Sam. 15:22). To another Centurion who was devout and God-fearing with his entire family, gave generously to those in need, and prayed to God regularly, the angel of God told him that his actions had all come before God as a memorial offering. Yet that would not admit him to heaven. He needed something more than that. He needed the grace of God that saves, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and Peter had the Good news to share with him (Acts 10:1-8). 

So, let none of us think we deserve anything because of anything we have done. It is all from God, given free to us, undeserving because of our fallen nature, unable to work for anything and pay for nothing. 

 ”For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Let us learn from the Centurion and tell the Lord today that we are unworthy of His presence in our lives, but for the grace that He has lavished on us.

That is the reason to be thankful wherever you may be.