<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem\u201d (2 Chronicles 32:25).<\/p>\n
WHEN HEZEKIAH ERRED BY SHOWING ALL HIS TREASURES TO THE ENVOYS FROM BABYLON, HIS ERROR WAS ALL THE WORSE BECAUSE IT SHOWED A LACK OF APPRECIATION FOR GOD\u2019S GRACE. Hezekiah had been sick and about to die, but he prayed that God would spare his life, and God did exactly that. And so after that, when in his pride \u201chis heart was lifted up\u201d and he acted foolishly toward the Babylonian representatives (2 Kings 20:12-19), Hezekiah demonstrated a lack of gratitude for the mercy that God had extended to him. As the text says, he \u201cdid not repay according to the favor shown him\u201d \u2014 and that\u2019s a serious mistake.<\/p>\n
When we\u2019re thinking as we should, there is no greater motivation to do what\u2019s right than the awareness that God (or anyone else) has treated us better than we deserve. Knowing that we\u2019ve been shown mercy humbles us and moves us to do better.<\/p>\n
But we don\u2019t always think as we should, do we? And when grace is shown to us and we take it for granted, receiving it thoughtlessly and unappreciatively, there is no greater sin. One of the saddest stories in the New Testament is the one in Luke 17:11-19, where the Lord healed ten men of their leprosy. When only one, a Samaritan, came back to thank the Lord, He said, \u201cWere there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?\u201d<\/p>\n
Do we do any better than the unthankful nine? The truth is, we wouldn\u2019t be alive today if it weren\u2019t for God\u2019s grace. We\u2019ve been forgiven of sins that we didn\u2019t deserve to have forgiven. God has been patient and longsuffering with us, far past the point when justice would have blasted us out of existence. But do we \u201crepay according to the favor shown\u201d to us? Too many times, we do not.<\/p>\n
Jesus said, \u201cIf you love Me, keep My commandments\u201d (John 14:15). Basically, we say \u201cthank you\u201d to God for His grace and favor by obeying His will.<\/em> And in particular, we show gratitude for God\u2019s grace by extending grace to others. \u201cFor judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy\u201d (James 2:13).<\/p>\n \u201cGratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies\u201d (Charles Edward Jefferson).<\/p>\n Gary Henry \u2013 WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com<\/p>\n