‘One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty – and I will meditate on your wonderful works.’ (vv4–5) Psalm 145:1–8
Passing through turbulent financial waters can make the present uncomfortable; the future uncertain. Yet, I refuse to nurse and rehearse anxiety. I choose faith over fear and despondency. Life may trigger a ‘counsel of despair’ but wisdom says, ‘Wait on the Lord.’
Waiting is tiring. In ministry with Youth for Christ, money was in short supply. We were called to live by faith, or what some cynics call ‘dying by faith’. Whilst I found this exhausting, it was also exhilarating.
With little financial security, my wife and I prayed on our knees daily, holding up a bill to ask for God’s intervention. We never spoke of our needs or wrote prayer letters with hints. This was between us and God; God’s school of faith development.
God came through, though we learnt once one bill was paid another swiftly followed. We had no savings and we muddled on. Life was exhausting.
Today I wonder if it was exhausting because we failed to discern between our material desires and God’s purpose. The former offers fantasy provision for our imagined needs. It’s about protecting ourselves against scarcity.
Yet, scarcity can act as God’s crucible of faith. As the philosopher, Claude Tresmontant stated, ‘God asked the prophets to believe him because he affected verifiable demonstrations of all that he said.’
Related Scripture to Consider: Isa. 30:15–26; Heb. 11:1–16; Deut. 31:1–8; Micah 7:8–13; Heb. 13:1–10.
An Action to Take: Consider how you decide between desire and necessity in a way that produces righteousness?
A Prayer to Make: ‘Lord, in repentance and rest is my salvation, in quietness and trust is my strength. Amen.’ (Based on Isa. 30:15.)
Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash
Used with Permission
