Me thinks I will just hurl my yogurt and granola up if I hear one more time just how “horrible” our economy is, is going to be, and will become! I have not heard this much negative-speak since Rodney Dangerfield in “Caddy Shack!” The audio tracks playing gloom and doom on the nightly news seems to be echoed in the halls of warehouses, workplace water-coolers and even archways and edifices of God’s houses. We cannot be in denial that things are tough for many and even egregious for many others. Yet, I can’t help but know that all the cawing and crowing of the dirge of doom weakens us as a people, as a nation and people of God.
Faith is not the denial or the absence of truth or doubt, but placing your HOPE in a God who’s economy supersedes even that of this great country! His, God’s G.M.P. (Gross Miraculous Production) is wholly and completely dependent on His ability to produce. I want to have this kind of faith! I need this kind of faith! The kind of faith that is based on; “the assurance of things hoped for, with the evidence of things not yet seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
Like my name sake, the Disciple Thomas, I don’t want to have to see my hope to believe that God is working behind the scenes on my behalf for my good. To know that Christ is more concerned with “who He is to me, then for what He can do for me” (Pastor Dale Olquest, Evergreen Church Olympia, WA) This is Friendship Basics 101, but how many of us (myself included), are more concerned for what Christ does for me, than who He is to me? How many of us have to see our hope, our promise to have hope? But is that really hope at all? The Bible would say “no!” This is not hope at all;
But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?
Romans 8:24 -NIV
I want the faith and hope in Christ’s economy like widow who gave her last penny;
41 Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions.
42 One poor widow came up and put in two small coins — a measly two cents.
43 Jesus called his disciples over and said, "The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together.
44 All the others gave what they'll never miss;
she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford — she gave her all."
Mark 12:41-44 -The Message Bible
So dear one, whose economy are you going to place your hope in? Whose tape are going to be playing? Erase your dirge-ful song and replace it with the song of hope. Erase it and replace it with God’s word of affirmation and faith in who He is, and what He has done, and will do IN YOU!
From "The Journey's View"
Pastor T
