So many times you hear stories and that make you chuckle but after you laugh you realize that it’s a sad story. One day a man got dressed to visit a foreign country. He was so excited because it took a long time to save the money to buy the ticket. There was real excitement in his community because air travel was new to them and the neighbors shared the excitement. Everyone came out to wish him well.
So he began his journey. The ride to the airport was exceptionally long. It seemed like they will never get to the airport. He arrived and went through the formalities that are necessary when people travel by air. He found his seat and he was so happy. He felt that he was experiencing life at its best. But he chose to travel to a far country for his first trip. He had a little snack and he ate it and he smiled; he was sitting in an airplane! He used to stand and look at the planes flying high in the sky and now he was a passenger on a plane.
In due time, he noticed that the employees on the plane were serving food. The food smelled oh so good. His stomach was ready. When he was asked what he would like to eat, he declined the meal. He sat and watched. Those people were really enjoying their food. Oh how he wished he had the money to purchase a meal. The employees on the plane came around and offered snacks, he declined. When he arrived at his destination, he was so hungry. The person who met him at the airport couldn’t understand why he was so hungry. He explained that he did not have any money to purchase the food on the plane. He didn’t realize that his ticket included his meal. He was hungry although his meal was paid for.
Sometimes, we are just like that man. We are unaware of the benefits that we have in God. Psalm 103: 2 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits.” Did you ever wonder why he said forget not? He said forget not because we are prone to live beneath our benefits much like the man on the plane. So God gives benefits but we have to access those benefits from Him through faith.
David took the time to recall and list the benefits he was being thankful for. David listed forgiveness first. He remembered all the times he fell short; he remembered when he went of and did his own thing and he came before God and sought forgiveness and he was forgiven. Oh what a benefit!
Then he began to recall the scriptures. He thought about Deuteronomy 7:15, “And the Lord will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you.” He was not going to forget that benefit. So it doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t get sick. David got sick and he experienced healing from the hand of the Lord.
If anybody could talk about the benefit of preservation, that would be David. He lived with an enemy who desired to take his life. Saul was passionate about killing David. That passion was so strong that in 1 Samuel 22, Saul killed the priests with the sword of Doeg the Edomite. But God was faithful to David and He preserved David’s life.
David looked at his life and recognized that God provided for him, not only when he was king but also during the time he was running for his life. God satisfies. He didn’t just provide David with food but he satisfied his mouth with good things. Things that are pleasing and morally correct. David recognized that God didn’t just provide food but the blessing of God preserved his health so his youth was renewed like the eagle.
David couldn’t stop recalling the benefits that God provided in his life. And as wonderful as these blessings are, there are so many more benefits available to the child of God. Many times, people are like that man on the plane, the benefits are right in front of them but they are afraid to take hold of them because they are unaware that those benefits come from the Lord. Don’t live below your privilege; remember your benefits.
Victory Walk 