If we have food and
clothing with these we will be content. -1 Timothy 6:8.
Keep your life free
from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will
never leave you or forsake you.� —Hebrews 13:5.
Give me neither
poverty nor riches; feed me with food that is needful for me… -Proverbs 30:8.
The Bible
tells us that both having too much money and also having too little can be bad
for spiritual and physical health or well being. Contentment comes with having
what you need and knowing that God promises to provide to meet those needs.
The other day my team (116 Clique) distributed food in a
tent community. It was organized chaos. They were not content. Most did not
have food or clothing. They did not have what they needed.
God how could you allow them to live this way?
Why are your children
running around naked? Why are your chosen ones running around without shoes?
Don’t you know they could get sick? Why are their bellies bloated so big, their
hands so droopy and their knees so weak? Do you not love them?
Jillian, you have shoes. You have clothing. You have all of
these things in abundance. Do you not love them? Do you not love my children?
How about you? Do you love the Haitians?
I know God loves them! They may not have what they need but
we do. We can more than meet their physical needs and I believe that we are
therefore called to give out of our abundance as God’s children. God has
provided but rather than give it directly to them He provides abundance first
to us, and then allows us the undeserved privilege of giving to those in need.
Our excess is their necessity.
We are God’s vessels. He wants to provide and pour out
through us. Through me and through you. He could do it without us and most
definitely doesn’t need us but because of His love He takes joy in allowing us
to give Him glory in that way. Our riches cry out to be used for His glory and their physical need cries out to be filled with our
abundance.
May we answer that cry. May we meet that need, in the name
of Jesus. There is no higher calling or greater privilege than to do live for
God.
There is a lot of need in this world. What are you going to
do about it?
By this we know love,
that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the
brothers. But id anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet
closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little
children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. -1 John 3:16-18.
Jillian,
This posting is such an honest ‘from the bottom of your heart’ cry! I really appreciate it. In Canada and the rest of the Western countries we have this issue of excess (whether we believe it or not). Often we, even as Christians, don’t see ourselves as ‘rich’ because the devil tricks us into thinking our ‘wants’ are our ‘needs’.
Lord, may you help us to realize that all we have comes from you and does not belong to us. Help us to give generously in that “whatever we do for one of the least of these brothers of Yours, we do for YOU.” Matt 25:40 (paraphrased a bit)
Devon
Dear Jillian. So glad to get your update on your Haiti mission. What a deeply personal and heart-grabbing exhortation to your sisters & brothers in Christ, and I thank you for it. So easily we forget that freely we have received and freely we should give. May God be with you and bless you the remainder of your time in Haiti.
Love, Debbie