I hate borrowing money… I mean truly hate it. This morning, I woke up with the following verse in my head: You will lend to many nations, but will borrow from none. Oh, how wonderful that would be!
How can I achieve that? What do I need to do to be in that position? As I always do when I need to hear from the Lord, I opened the Bible and listened with my heart.
The fore mentioned verse is in Deuteronomy, which is a chapter about blessings for obedience.
Deuteronomy 28:2,12All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God. The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.
One word stands out to me here- work. Too often, when I have financial concerns, I become too secure in God’s provision. I know He will provide… he always does, Yet this verse reminds me that I must do my part and work. This is affirmed in
2 Thessalonians 3:10 - … If a man will not work, he shall not eat.
One of the things I tell my clients is the more effort they put into their betterment, the more I will help them. Too often, the more I go out of my way for them, the more they expect from me. Whatever I do for them is not enough as they stay home watching Jerry Springer instead of looking for a job. They quickly forget the assistance of which they were so grateful for just two days ago.
I wonder if I am like this with my Heavenly Father? He has done so much for me, always providing what I need that I become too assured for my own good. The more he gives me, the more I expect, and the less obedient I become in denying myself for the sake of the cross. If I am not careful, I become a slave to the flesh. I start to think I can do things on my own and leave Him out of my plans.
One way I have been feeling convicted is how I view the small things. I tend to spend too much left over ‘spare change.’ If I find $1 in my purse, I will go to the snack machine. Up until last week, I thought it was no big deal. Then I read in
John 6:12 how Jesus instructed the disciples to gather leftovers after everyone had eaten so the food didn’t go to waste. Also I am reminded (
Matthew 25:21;
Luke 16:10) that in order to be given much, we have to prove wise stewardship with little. In other words, maybe if I start saving my leftovers, I will be put in charge of a new Macbook. which I need for all of my writing