Chuck and I are going through lean times. Maybe you are too. New jobs, home repair, kids’ expenses, illness—many factors cause money to pass through all of our hands. Seen and unseen circumstances affect cash flow like the moon affects the ebb and flow of the tide. God planted three truths in our hearts to help us ride the ever-changing waves.
A couple of years ago I was whining, fretting, arguing, praying about God’s provision. This was His answer.
Asking Me to provide is like asking the waves to return to the shore.
Think about it.
Have you ever been to the ocean when the water wasn’t flowing to the shore? Sure, sometimes it’s thunderous and full and high tide. Sometimes it is lakewater flat and calm. But the waves are ever lapping the shores, returning, ever returning.
This word from the Lord is medicine to my shaky heart. It is also a shot of adrenalin to my spirit to recognize He is the Lord of the whole, dang ocean. God is the Maker of all the earth. He will care for me and you as constantly as the saltwater finds its way to the beach. We can bank on His Unfailing waves.
There is always enough to give.
We learned this powerful truth from saints who have gone before. As young believers, me and Chuck watched these gray-haired God lovers give testimony about the faithfulness of God in every season. “He’s been so good to us. We can’t afford to not give,” they would say as grateful tears ran down wrinkled faces.
Selah.
When things are tight, giving to God and others feels like the least appropriate response. It’s natural to grab and cling to what we have. But we are supernatural beings. We have access to all the resources of Heaven. We may not feel that way, but it is our reality nonetheless.
Chuck and I have learned to empty our pockets to fill our faith. We overcome lean seasons, hard seasons, even famine seasons— by giving. But why?
It’s a declaration of trust that He will give us all we need. We give even though it doesn’t make sense on paper. It makes sense to God.
We are blessed to be a blessing.
Giving reminds us of our holy birthright, our eternal covenant. Our Good God will care for us AND give us enough to share. As you approach Christmas, as you plan for 2024, as you review year-end reports, remember your covenant God. Remember His desire for multiplication.
Everything we have is a gift. We may think we worked for it. We earned it. But revisit Deuteronomy 8. It’s all part of our covenant with God—through HIS giving, we become a blessed people group known on the earth for outrageous faith and generosity.
God-covenant-awareness changes us. It trains us.
We see this year the Lord has taught us to trust more, deeper. The word is constancy. He continues to take us through seasons of plenty and want so that we master the secret of dependence. Flowing in His favor, without all the drama. (Though we are still working on the no drama part.)
My counsel? Count your blessings. Then give them away. The ocean will bring you more.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17