| Good Morning Everyone, Our theme for this month: “Change can be good for you” Our Bible verse for today: “… for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know both how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content – whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13 (CSB) Our thought for today: “What if you have to get by with less? In previous devotionals in this series I have challenged all of us to consider if perhaps we have allowed ourselves to get drawn into the problem of “conspicuous consumption”. I noted that capitalism is a great thing, and we in the USA are blessed by the lifestyle we enjoy because of it. But it’s also true that too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. We can get caught-up in over-consuming and we can get a little too dependent on our comfortable lifestyle. What if you find yourself faced with unemployment, or a large loss of investments, or under-employment which results in reduced income? What if you find yourself having to get by on less? Can you still be happy and content with less money and fewer possessions? The great Christian writer G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “There are two ways to get enough: one is to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.” In our churches we often sing songs to Jesus affirming that He is all we really need and that we find our joy and fulfillment in our relationship with Him. Is that really true? Is Jesus really all we need? Can we, like the Apostle Paul, confidently declare that we will be joyful, fulfilled, content, and complete in Christ whether we have a little or a lot in terms of worldly wealth and possessions? If you find yourself in a situation where you have less than what you have now, would Jesus still be enough for you? The question is real and it is pressing for all of us, very contemporary. Our nation is in an economic crisis and probably will be for the foreseeable future. I don’t think we fully appreciate the extent of the damage or how far it’s going to reach or how long it’s going to last. We are all potentially vulnerable to financial loss, even if it doesn’t feel that way for you personally at the moment. What if you find in the future that you have to get by with less? Can you handle it mentally, emotionally, and spiritually? Will you feel diminished as a person because of it? Will Jesus really be enough for you then? Let’s hope and pray it’s an issue we don’t have to face. Let’s pray that we quickly get through this and our economy comes roaring back. But still the question is valid: Is Jesus enough? Would you still feel fulfilled and joyful if you had less (maybe much less) in terms of worldly wealth and possessions? I encourage you to spend some time with the question – ask the Holy Spirit to help you work through that and settle it once and for all. God Bless, Pastor Jim |
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