God and the Economy

God & the Economy

Like many people, I have been greatly preoccupied with thoughts on the
economy for the last few months. Like almost everyone else, I have
been worried about the future. I received a 12 ½% pay cut and have
been worried about whether or not I can pay my bills. With the 40%+
hit my investments have taken, I have been worried about whether or not
I will be able to afford to retire—25 years from now. As always, my
mind drifts naturally towards seeking God’s perspective on such things.
As always, He loves it when we seek His perspective and is always
prepared to speak, through His Word.

Yesterday He really spoke to me thru Matthew 6:25-34.

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will
eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more
important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look
at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in
barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more
valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to
his life[b]?

28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the
field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even
Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that
is how God clothes the grass of the field,
which is here today and
tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O
you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?'
or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans
run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you
need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry
about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has
enough trouble of its own.

Reading this caused me to feel convicted over how much I have been
worrying. Also, my focus has begun to subtly shift from worrying to
wondering what it means to seek God’s Kingdom first, even within the
context of the current economic mess.

As always, I feel greatly comforted when my perspective begins to shift
from the temporal to the eternal. My sense that this life truly is a
“vapor” returns and my trust in God’s provision is reignited. (He has
never failed me yet.)

Our God is an all Sovereign King. The failure of the world economy,
and all of it’s repercussions for nations and individuals, is no
surprise to Him. I wonder if the way that God is pulling the strings,
behind the scenes, has everything to do with Jesus’ words in Matthew.
I am convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that God is moving
powerfully in the most minute details of this economic storm. I know
that He is causing me to refocus my eyes on His beautiful Kingdom
instead of my retirement plan.

How woefully shortsighted and blind I have been! I have been trusting
so deeply in my retirement plan, for my provision. Yes, God absolutely
works to provide for us thru our good, or bad, stewardship over the
resources that He gives us. There is a big problem though when we come
to trust in those resources and our own abilities to manage them,
instead of trusting in the living God who both gives and takes away.