SENTINEL WATCH March 9, 2009 Issue

ENTITLED TO GOD'S ABUNDANCE

Frederick R. Andresen

NO DOUBT in these challenging times many people the world over are concerned about their resources, their finances, their home. And they may rightfully feel entitled to the things they've worked hard to earn.

Are we really entitled to anything? From whom? And under what conditions?

While some dictionaries don't give the word entitlement a life until well after the Great Depression of the 1930s, its practice in fact dates back to the beginning of human and social relations, to the days of kings and princes in all lands. For example, in the Genesis story, Jacob lied to his father to steal the firstborn entitlement from Esau, his elder brother.