“And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21)
How many of you believe that if the Lord removes something from you, that He is going to replace it with something better? If so, does that mean what He has taken away, if it be a material possession, that He has a finer, or perhaps more appropriate item waiting for you?
I question the following verse in my mind at times.
“But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:30)
I can recall when I first moved to this town I slept in my car for a few weeks, and then in a rundown hotel room for several more. I look around me now and see more than I could ever have hoped to attain without His guidance.
But what if He removes it all? Should I expect more, should I anticipate better, finer accommodations? That thought verges on Prosperity Theology, on expecting after loss, and I am not sure that it’s the proper thoughts to entertain. What if the money runs out, through no intentional fault of our own design, should we expect blessings from on high, is the Almighty required to take care of us in that manner?
For those of you that contemplate these thoughts occasionally, or may even be experiencing them, how are we then to prepare ourselves for the possibility of 1st Timothy 6:8.
“And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”
The prospect of being able to keep that roof over your head, the bank account slowly dwindling down to nothing, with no means to add to it. Until the moment arrives, if it does, we do not know how we will respond, but if you see it coming, you have only two choices, fear or trust.
He has promised in many places to direct our paths, but how we will accept that direction in times of great loss can only be imagined by those who have not experienced it. No more food in the pantry, no more money in your pocket, out on the street. Does God do that to His children? Does He always replace what He takes away, and should we expect Him to?
I confess, this is difficult to write about, because I think we do expect Him to, in fact, I believe that many of us think He is obligated to, if not immediately, then over a certain amount of time. Job received seven times more, but Lazarus was left to die at the rich man’s gate.
The Holy Spirit seems to be leading me in several of these recent letters to bring to you analogies that only seem to have one answer for us.
“Thy will be done.”
Dire circumstances beyond our control are the test of those words, and I have read of many who sought the release of death when those situations arrived in their lives. And some of them my friends did not have those things replaced by the Lord.
These things that are Spiritually discerned cannot be counted in the coin of materialism, His mercy and grace may allow you to keep what you have, but it may not.
“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
For His reasons and for His glory some are tested in this manner, those circumstances that are out of our control He is in control of. And there is a very good possibility that the days that are approaching may place many of us in just such circumstances.
Prepare your heart accordingly.
I had clothing and food while I slept in my car, He provided daily, and daily is where our focus should be.
“Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matt. 6:11)
If you have been born again, you are where He wants you to be, and He will be with you no matter the circumstances He places you in.
