Sept 8th is our anniversary, and in years past, we would have spent it at an expensive restaurant for an hour or so and then went back to life as usual. But this year, we spent it together making and serving free icees at a downtown festival where our church provides free food, rides, etc for the community. And Mandee, Mia, and I worked hard, side by side for 4 hours, serving, loving, and encouraging friends, neighbors, and strangers. And when people asked “How much?” I got to tell them that “”Jesus paid it all, have as much as you like for free!” And Mandee and I realized this was the longest we had been together, side by side, in a while. It was a blessing much more than “free stuff” — its the blessing of seeing the Lord more active and visible and effective in our lives. We are learning more and more that the Lord truly is so, so good.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
Psalms 34:8 NLT
I’m realizing the is a big difference between “taste and see that the Lord is good” and “taste and see that the world is good”. I hear many times people wanting the Lord to give them more of the world. I see people who want to use religion for personal gain, those who want God to be their personal genie that answers whatever they ask for, people whose concept of “blessings” stops at health, wealth, and prosperity.
Even though the Lord might get our attention with the “free blessings” of things, they are meant to reveal to us something so much greater than just health, wealth and prosperity in this life.
A related article you may want to read: https://medium.com/@anthonymays/what-the-gospel-really-says-about-prosperity-5ca084410779
Lord, help us to rely on your grace, and to seek to know you personally and intimately, and to do you will, and to serve and love together in unity, and to understand that these are the greatest blessings. Amen.
Harold J. Ballinger 