At some point, and now seems to be the time appointed, it’s time to think about “today’s economy” in light of this series. Or, maybe, in light of this series, to think about today’s economy.
The first thing we have to realize is that our employer, or our business, or “the State,” isn’t our provider.
God is our provider. Period. This won’t change.
We must face the facts. God is capable of supplying our every need. Period. I didn’t say our “wants.” I look at this statement, and, I’ll be honest … I know what I mean … I don’t mean that God is not capable of supplying our “wants” … but, how often have I written that if God gave us everything we thought we “wanted,” it would ruin us … And, worst of all, if God gave us everything we thought we wanted … it would ruin our relationship with Him. And, frankly, if we got everything “handed to us” that we wanted … it would ruin our relationship with a lot of people … and, not just friends and family. There! I had to include that!
Often, and I must say this, our “wants” seem to grow as God meeting our needs grows. The danger is this: Sometimes, the more our needs are met … the more “we get” … the less we may feel that we need God. Let’s let that one sink in. Is it true that the more we have, the more we want? Maybe another topic for another time, but necessary to at least mention here.
There have always been “bad times,” and there always will be. There have always been “good times,” and there always will be. Please keep these statements in proper context. There will always be people “with money.” There will always be people “in need.” This won’t change. I have learned that, no matter how bad the economy is … there are always people who have money, and lots of it. Am I equating success with money? For the point of the “present economy” and “need” I am using the term “money” in context. Let’s think about “success.” Throughout history, regardless of the “present economy,” there have always been people who were successful, and, yes, regardless of the “economy,” very successful.
What do you mean, “What am I talking about?” I answer that question with this question from recent history: During the Great Depression, and every “bad time” since, weren’t there people who were able to obtain incredible wealth? No, please understand I am not trying to downplay the severity of the times, only that, regardless of the times, or “present economy,” there were people getting extremely wealthy.
“Hey! Wait! Stop!”
“During those times, there were so many people who made money by immoral activities … even by breaking the law! What are you doing? Honoring them?!!!???”
Well … I hate to be the first one, if necessary, to break this news, but I must:
People making money by immoral means, or by breaking the law … didn’t start in recent history. As long as there have been people … which means humans … which means sinful man … which means …
“We ain’t grown.”
There will always be, and again this in context to the time we are living now, and history past, there will always be people who “do wrong.” Make money wrong. And, this “wrong” thinking/action directs their every move. Guess what? Their reward is only temporary … and, only for this world … ours is eternal, and for the World yet to come. While this is true, the point we’re trying to make is that regardless of the condition the world is in, God will still provide for His people. Period. That is, really, the only point I am trying to make. God will provide. Because: His provision depends upon Him, and not the world.
Does your provision depend upon Him … or the world?
We need to spend more time thinking about the Good News instead of the 6: 00 O’clock News.
(I think I just wrote that.)
I haven’t read the local newspaper in months. Not that it’s not a “good newspaper” (Did that phrase begin with good news …?”) … In fact, it’s a great newspaper. They have certainly been kind and gracious to me. And, I am most grateful for that. But, to the point, in relation to this writing: I decided, many, many, months ago, that I wouldn’t read the paper anymore … I couldn’t read the paper anymore … because (and this was the part of the paper I would always first gravitate to) they print a “police log,” and there were so many former students I knew, appearing in this part of the paper, that I finally just said, “I can’t read this anymore.” While this may have been even more of a reason for many to cherish this part of the paper … I just didn’t want to bring myself to the place of disappointment on so regular a basis, so I decided to just not read the paper at all …
Anyway, a few months ago, this was during “Summer Break,” I made a point to get the paper every day. After all, it was free, and available. (I think, “Man … Oh man … how often has that phrase, ‘free and available’ gotten us in trouble in the past …”) Anyway … this was a few months ago, when our country was in the throes of another “really bad economic time” cycle … I mean, it seemed like it was a really, really, bad time in this country … at least, that’s what I kept reading about … One day, I was reading the paper, and it seemed that every ad … at least every other ad in the paper carried a phrase like “during these hard times” or “during this bad economy,” and I’m serious, it seemed like every ad had something about our “bad economic times,” and due to this, there was a “price break” they were extending to their customers … I’m not making this up … it seemed like every ad had a negative about the economy …
That’s when I folded up the paper, and threw it on the table, exclaiming, “Man, if I keep reading this, I’ll start believing it!!!” I was serious, because I knew it is true: “If I keep reading this (after all it’s the newspaper), I’ll start believing it …”
“Hey! What are you saying? We shouldn’t stay informed? We shouldn’t read the news?”
“Hey! What are you saying?”
(Maybe they are saying that if we don’t read the paper, we won’t have anything to do as we sit at lunch, or at home … we’d be forced to actually speak or interact with someone???)
Maybe this is what I am saying: The newspaper has its place. No doubt. Television news? As an old time radio guy (with television experience-and, I starting writing published articles in the local paper in the 6th grade), I’ll pass on that. Because that’s not the point. I still pick up the paper (it’s free), and I have an obligation to do so in my job capacity. I do scan the paper for pictures of students, being portrayed in a positive way.
This is the point: God is our provider. Period.
He won’t let us down. He can’t.
And, won’t.
He wants you to depend on Him.
And, if I can take a phrase (boy, that word “phrase” has come up a lot) from our present-day teens (or maybe teens from years ago?):
“Totally.”
Now you know why I write so much about how important it is to spend time reading God’s Word.
As I read those newspaper ads to the point of memorizing them … I exclaimed, as I threw the paper across the room, “Man, if I keep reading this, I’ll start believing it!!!”
Here it is:
As you read the Bible, especially read God’s Word every day, my prayer is that you will make
the same declaration, with the same shout:
“Man, if I keep reading this, I’ll start believing it!!!”
Blessings to you, and your family,
Richard. Vincent. Rose.
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