Choose Life (Part Twenty Two): Presumption

Assumption: Lowest Level of Knowledge

Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:5-6, NKJV)

We continue this week with the story of the sick man healed at the Pool of Bethesda. [John 5:1-15].

My first encounter with the word “presume” in scriptures is in Numbers 14:44. The first part of the verse reads, “But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop.” What does that mean?

The word “presume” means to be lifted up. It comes from a primitive Hebrew root word, which means “to swell.” That is,

• To be full of pride;
• Take for granted; 
• Take upon one that which one has no clearance or authorization for;
• To work without accurate knowledge;
• To be forward;
• To take for granted; to infer; to suppose.

Hence, in Numbers 14:44, the people took upon themselves to do that for which they did not have the right authorization. They supposed they could get God’s favor by seeking it, rather than seeking God. They assumed they could enter the Promised Land in their own strength. They suppose they could qualify themselves. Just how many of us still do it today. Just how many of us presume we can make it through life in our own strength and in our own way. Just how much we labor in futility. 

The "assumption is life's lowest level of knowledge." (Edwin Louis Cole).. "Leaders don't assume. Assumptions are the termites of leadership. Communicate, communicate, and communicate, until you connect." (Farshad Asl). "Assumptions are unopened windows that foolish birds fly into, and their broken bodies are evidence gathered too late." (Bryan Davis) 

The way to life is to submit to God and His way. There is no other alternative.

God is God, and we are not.

© 2017 Akin Akinbodunse

Links to Related Articles:

Choose Life (Part Twenty One)

Choose Life (Part Twenty Three)

Don't build roadblocks out of assumptions. (Lorii Myers) 

Links to Other Resources:

The Unchanging Word of God (David Jeremiah)

Increase Your Capacity to Hear From God (Diane Gardner)