Trusting God - Or? 021414

Jesus tells  that we will trust either God or Mammon (Money).  And who of us could dispute that truth?  For better or ill we need money to live in this fallen world and we are subject to all the schemes and machinations of our economy devised by men and women for whom Mammon if indeed God.

We do foolish things when it comes to money and we do make mistakes.  We take bad advise and well - we sin.  And so money (for both needs and debt) looms large in our vision and can preoccupy our prayers.

It's all too easy to see Mammon as an answer - and we have to admit sometimes it is.  But how do we pray for that answer - and whom we pray to for that answer is critical.

Fred has been out of work for a year.  He and his wife squeak by on what she earns and the kindness of both friends and strangers.  They worry and fret.  They are embarrassed and convicted.  They have erred and sinned when it comes to money.

How do we encourage them?  How do we direct them to pray.   Fred needs a job - they need money - what do we say, what do we do?

Encouraging them to pray for God's provision is a "Yeah duh."  But they struggle with constantly praying for money.  They feel they are using God like and ATM and they do not want to.  They fear imposing upon friends and ruining relationships.  They are embarrassed and to some extent ashamed.  The "brave faces" they put on often crack and become scowls and frowns of shame.

They wonder why God should make up for their errors and their sins with material blessings.  They struggle with bartering with God about what they will do if He come to their relief.  They struggle becasue their prayers seem inundated with their needs to the exclusion of other more important things.

What to we tell them, what do we do?

Are their prayers for financial relief actually prayers to Mammon?    They sometimes feel they are?  Though God provides for them daily and friends and strangers do what they can to help they still struggle with trust even in the face of provision

They know that God is providing but as we all know, looming future needs can force their way into our hearts and blot out that present gratitude with fear and axiousness.

Are they trusting God "Or" are the trusting someone or something else.  They think of some who could relieve their distress either by helping Fred find work of by directly addressing their debt.  They find themselves trying to figure out how God can fix the problem and they even sometimes feel that God expects  then to fix it  their own.

As Fred's wife says, she struggles, " I know God CAN provide, I struggle with IF He WILL  provide."  This is so very common especially when we look at the circumstances as the consequences of of our sin.  We ask, "Why should I ask God to clean up my mess?"  "Why should I expect or even ask Him to undo the consequences of my sin?"

Prayer can be tough in tough times.  The world condemns, Satan raises our failures and sows doubts and the flesh wants to have a pity party or just give up.

Perhaps - just perhaps the safest prayer we could ever pray - regardless of the situation is, "God have mercy on me, a sinner."

When it comes to tough times and the assaults we suffer in them we  tend to "pray to the hurt" instead of praying as we ought.  It's a fight but a fight worth the effort.

But still the question remains, "Am I trusting God for money or am I asking God for money to trust in."

A Deeper View 012213b

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Mat 6:24)

"Money"  mammōnas:  Wealth personified; avarice

Ouch!

Most definitions of avarice say it's "extreme" - excessive or insatiable desire for wealth or gain : greediness.

But is that what Jesus is actually saying?  I don't think so.  I believe He's making a clear comparison between who/what we look to for our providence.  In the context of this, even the slightest "avarice" is extreme.

You don't have to be a greedy-wealth driven person to fit into what Jesus is talking about.  If I am looking to "money" as the answer to my problems and not to God, then I am double-mastered - actually I am serving Mammon.  

Paul writes:

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.  (1Ti 6:10)

The author of Hebrews writes:

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  (Heb 13:5)

I have to say I am learning what Paul means by, "pierced themselves with many pangs (sorrows)."  I'm getting pang pierced quite regularly.  

I am especially sorry for all the waste of His provision.  Oh boy - let's leave it at that.  But being "sorry" isn't the point.  Repentance is the point.  I have to turn away from that oh so common money thing to Him.  I have to embrace Him and His promise and accept His will for me.

There was an old saying in my pre-disciple days that we "hippies" used - I will leave that to your imagination but - in this case I'll say, "God will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no God."

Jesus presents us with a choice - and for some it's a big and deep choice.  We have to really examine ourselves (a good thing anytime) for what pieces of avarice/mammon are tucked away in our heads and hearts.  

I suggest - from experience (current experience) that we look for envy, dis-satisfaction, grumbling, fear, anger, etc and see it they are connected to mammon.  

Are we dis-satisfied with God's current provision?  Are we fearful of our future known and unknown needs?  Are we, like Israel in the OT when threatened by invasion, looking to make unwise alliances?  Are we, like they, seeking some thing other than God in our need?

It's common to us but it isn't best.  We all know that.  We all know that God is the loving and gracious Shepherd.  We all know that He gave His best to make us His and that this is the greatest provision we could ask for.  We all know these things - but sometimes He loves us enough to take us to a place where we see our sinful seeking in other places.  He does that to halt us in our tracks and bring us back to His way - the only true way.

Sometimes it feels like He is teaching me to be a little child.  I cried in Patti's arms the other night and prayed to Him for to comfort and strengthen us in His Way.  I felt like a weenie - but I realized I was learning to come to Him as a little child who is utterly dependent upon Him for EVERYTHING.

Just goes to show that we can know something - and yet have to KNOW it better - deeper - more childishly.

Let's examine ourselves and ask His Spirit to both guide us and comfort us as we look for those thin, weak places in our walk.  It's OK, He intendeds to fatten them up and build some muscle.  He is never done with us - which really is good news!

You, those of you who can identify and those of you who don't yet - are in our prayers and  we are vaguely but faithfully lifting you up.  Remember it's "OUR Father ------"