Being Content

The Preponderance of Provision


It’s easy to think about all that we don’t have. Maybe this is because we live in a consumer culture; maybe because this is just human nature, but whatever the cause, it doesn’t take long for people to list the things that they don’t have that they wish they did. In fact, for most of us reading this blog, if someone during the holiday season asks for our wish list, any amount of time that it takes us to deliver it is usually because of what we choose to leave off, not because we are lacking in desires.

One of the many amazing things about God, however, is that He never leaves us in this state of want. In fact, He always provides more than enough for what we need. Sure it doesn’t always feel this way; sometimes it feels like we are lacking the right resources, opportunities or options to pursue a certain course, but in fact, God promises that this is not the case. He is actively pursuing our good (Rom. 8:28), not based on how we define it, but based on what is truly good. That is why Scripture teaches us not to worry about what we have or what we don’t – God already knows what is needed, and He will provide (See Luke 12:29-31).

However, its not just in our day to day lives that the magnanimous nature of our God is displayed. In fact, the best example of the preponderance of His provision is illustrated in His Son’s death on the cross. Not only did Christ’s sacrifice provide payment for the sins I’ve committed, but His goodness, His righteousness, is put on my account (See Romans 4:6-8). In other words, not only is our debt erased, but when God looks at us, He sees all of the “credit” that Christ obtained. Our account is not at a “zero” balance, but instead, from God’s perspective, it has all the riches of Christ’s righteousness.

This isn’t to say that we have nothing left to offer. In return for the riches of His provision, God asks us to lead a life that’s pleasing Him. All things considered, it seems a small price to pay.

(This post was inspired, in part, by Dr. Mike Fabarez’s message titled “The Gospel According to Abraham – Part 2” which you can find here)

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Being Content

Give to Receive


A lot of us have heard the saying, “it’s better to give than receive.” Just like “cleanliness is next to godliness” and “the love of money is the root of all evil” these maxims have a ring of Scriptural authority. The only problem is none of them are accurate quotations of Scripture. Instead, Acts 20:35 quotes Jesus as saying, “it is more blessed to give than receive.”

This may seem like a minor point – after all most of us when equate blessing with goodness, so if it is more blessed to give than obviously that is better. But, while I believe this is true, I don’t believe that it rightly encompasses why giving is good Its not just because it teaches us to share, which is a character trait that all mothers would deem admirable. Instead, giving is good because when we give, we actually get. We get God’s favor, God’s blessings, and we are draw closer to the ideal of becoming more like Christ. After all, who gave more than the One who abandoned heaven and took on the trials of the world, all for the sake of those He loves?

The problem is, those of us involved in Christian service sometimes are blinded by the inconveniences and the personal challenges that service often affords. We don’t see what we are getting because we are grudgingly doing the things God has told us for the sake of others. We complain about the toll that service takes on us, without recognizing the benefits it affords if only we’d receive them. We give not accepting that which is given in return.

We should give; of our time, our resources, our possessions and our life, because God tells us to do so, and as people who love Him, we should do the things that please Him. But in doing so, we should also recognize that God’s commands are always for our benefit. This is no less true when we are blessed through our giving.

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