In today’s economy many are challenged with how to make ends meet. Even the government operates at a deficit in the trillions. By comparison, most individuals do not have that much red in their checking accounts. Nevertheless, it does not mean that people are not affected by the loss of jobs, houses, and sense of security. Perhaps we should ask, what is God‘s economic stimulus package?
Believe it or not, God has a lot to say about economics, many of which lessons if applied would bring about much profit to all. Here are a few tips to remember during any down turn in the economy.
God is Our Supply
The news media loves to report bad news and most people love to hear it. Otherwise, why would they do it? But, there is no shortage of money or resources in the world. While one person may be experiencing a shortage, others are profiting. Money is not static. It moves. Ever noticed how hard it is for some to hold on to it most of the time and for others all of the time? Thus, it isn’t money that should get our focus, but the source of supply.
God is the source of all. He does not change. He promised to supply all our need, Phil. 4:19. He also tells us that seeking his kingdom and righteousness is one way of ensuring that all our needs are met, (Matt. 6:33). The lesson to learn to trust in God is not easy for many. Rather trust is placed in the supply, rather than the source, -God. When the supply is gone, many panic. For those who trust in God, they have no need to panic. They know God’s supply is always abundant.
God Supplies Our Need Through Our Intelligent Diligent Effort
Although God is our Source and supplies all our needs, we cannot sit still and die. We must move forward with a plan of wisely applied action and he will bless it. In 2 Kings 7:3, four leprous men evaluated their options life during a famine that resulted from war when Ben-Hadad king of Syria besieged Samaria. Times were so tough that a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver. In another instance of desperation to avoid starvation a woman made a deal with another mother to each boil their sons for food. However, after they boiled and ate her son, the other woman reneged and hid her child.
The four leprous men saw death as their only option, so they asked whether they should resign themselves to it or risk venturing into the camp of the Syrian army in hope of finding food. On the one hand, they had nothing to lose, but the first option was sure death. The other choice equally had a risk of death but it offered a glimmer of hope. They wisely chose to take action to move forward and enter the city hoping the Syrians would keep them alive and give them food. If not, they would be killed so either way the outcome was death.
After moving forward to their surprise not a Syrian remained in the camp! God had created a distraction for the Syrian army to hear the noise of chariots, which they believed to be Hittite and Egyptian armies hired by Israel. As a result, the Syrians fled the camp without raising a sword, leaving the camp intact–their tents, their horses, and their donkeys and fled for their lives.
God Supplied Their Needs and Beyond
These four lepers had both a feast and a windfall. They went into one tent, ate and drank and carried from it silver, gold and clothing and repeated this in another tent. They even made an attempt to alert the king of their great fortune so others could profit. Their goodwill led to a windfall for many. God had supplied their need and more. All that was required of them was to act on an intelligent decision to take a calculated risk by moving forward with action.
There was no real shortage. Resources had simply moved from Israel to the Syrian camp, then back again. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, (Ephesians 3:20). He opened the windows of heaven for these lepers, (2 Kings 7:2; Malachai 3:10).
Are you sitting around waiting to die? Or, are you unwilling to take a risk to gain because you are too fearful of what you may face in the unknown? Have you ignored God trying to live your life on supplies, rather than on the Supplier?
