Loving God- DAY FIVE

Scripture:  "But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the LORD your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the LORD your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt."  (Deuteronomy 8:11-14 NIV)

Thought:  Like many young Christian men, I had to get to a point of desperation before I saw how life was greater than I could take on.  At the beginning were financial challenges that a young man starting with very little had to contend with.  But there were more issues that followed.   There was a feeling that if it will happen I have to make it happen.  Have you been there?  My efforts were frustrated for various reasons.  But before a situation would become really desperate, God would intervene and help me by answering my plea for help.  I noticed something would regularly happen.  When our bank account got a little flush, I became less dependent on God, and more selfish.  I would tune Him out until I was desperate again.  After many cycles of these ups and downs, I came to understand that I was using God as a "bellhop" to meet my needs rather than seeing my deeper need to worship Him for Who He is and draw close to Him.  I also came to see how dangerous prosperity is.  I have come to see it as a place where we are most vulnerable, for we forget the danger that lurks around us and wants to draw us into it, and we can become very self-centered.

I have found that there is a blessing to being dependent on God.  We are in danger when on one extreme we are needy, or on the other when we have so much that we forget Him.  For that reason, I want my family and the ministry I serve to always be dependent on God.  I have never seen us in need, but we are fully dependent on God.  What a blessing!  Why is this?  It is because we feel our connection with God better.  We feel His help and His love in providing for us all that we need, but not too much.  It is not a curse to be dependent on God.  In fact it is a great, great blessing and should be our goal.

Application:  So, how do you feel about being dependent on God?  Do you really believe that God will meet your needs, and that you are safe in Him?  Do you understand that His work in your life right now is to strengthen your love connection with Him and meeting your needs is a way He does it?  Don't deny this blessing from yourself.  Therefore, take a moment to declare your trust in your Father's love and provisions.  Embrace His love for you and allow it to invade the deepest fears that people do not know live within you.  He wants you to be free of the survival instinct that drives you and creates fear and desperation in you.  He loves you much too much to allow it to continue.  He wants better for you.

Response:  If God has shown you vulnerable areas in your life, strengthen them immediately by abandoning your life into the care of Jesus.  Allow this time to draw you closer to Him, and remain there.  He wants you to come and abide in Him and He in you.  He wants you to remain close to Him, and it is there that all will be well for you.