As I was reading that passage, I was impressed with the connection between not serving money and relying on the Lord for what we need. In all the sermons and studies I've heard on the only serving one master and other studies on God supplying our needs, I've never heard the two connected. Here God seemed to be saying to me that because we cannot serve two masters, we need to wholeheartedly serve Him first. We are absolutely not supposed to worry about money and how our needs are to be met. If we start focusing on providing for ourselves financially, we can so easily lose sight of where God wants us to be. Because of our tendency to do this, God commands us to completely give up that mindset. This is not to say that we should be financially irresponsible or not have a job; it just means that we need to make sure that we are following God first, even when it means letting go of our financial security.
Recently, Philip and I attended a Christian marriage seminar which focused on the various "needs" of spouses. One characteristic that a woman tends to desire in a husband is responsible leadership. I would agree with this, especially as the Bible confirms that role in the husband. However, as I looked at my handout on which I was instructed to rate my husband's leadership, I saw nothing about spiritual leadership - nothing about whether he reads the Bible daily and discusses it with me, not a word about whether he leads us in prayer. About half of the items were related to his financial provision. I was dismayed. It is not my husband's job to provide for my physical needs. Of course, he plays a major role in this, but together we trust God to provide. It is my husband's job to seek the Lord and lead our family to follow Him, and, by example, help us to "seek first His kingdom and His righteous" knowing that through this all our needs "shall be added" to us.
Those of us wives who are blessed to have husbands who fulfill this leadership role should be very thankful. We need to take care to affirm our men in this, as the world and even many in the church (as the marriage seminar demonstrates) often push them to be financially successful. They can be made to feel as though money is the most important marker of their leadership skills and that it is up to them to earn first, then figure out how to fit their spiritual role into what is left. Let's encourage them and build them up when they go against convention and do the opposite. Can you imagine what the world might look like if all Christian men, with their wives support, stepped out in faith to do what the Lord called them to do with complete disregard to finances? We'd probably all be a little poorer on this earth but oh so much spiritually richer!
As we think about what this year holds for us, much of the details are unknown. Our financial situation is precarious from year to year. We truly do not know how we will be provided for once August arrives, and if we will even be able to make ends meet until then. What we do know is that God has called our family to Bangkok for this season and that He has always provided for us in the past as we have followed Him. I am confident that my husband is leading our family in God's paths. So what do I need to do? Let God completely free me from the master of money and stop being anxious. The God who created the universe, who has complete power over life and death, who knows my heart, who died for me has promised that when I seek Him I will lack nothing. Lord, increase our faith!
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
"And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6,7,19
No comments:
Post a Comment