“He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.” Psalm 111:5
What are the things that control your thoughts? What do you worry about? What circumstances cause that little pit in your stomach? What can take you from complete serenity to agitation? There are many things that can have those effects on us, and the answers depend greatly on the individual. But there is one thing that is fairly universal: money. I know that in our culture, that’s not something we typically talk about. We don’t tell others how much we make. We don’t share our bank balance with our friends. It’s one of those taboo subjects for us. But the same can’t be said for God. He has a lot to say about money. And He has every right to say as much as He wants, because it all came from Him and it all belongs to Him.
That realization makes it pretty easy for us. You want to know how much money I have – or anyone, for that matter? The answer is $0.00. Whatever my bank balance, whatever’s in my wallet isn’t really mine. It belongs to God. He’s the One in control of all of it. Here’s the flip side: if you’re bottom line is showing more red than black, that is God’s money that seems rather scarce. It’s not really our problem. It’s God’s. This verse reminds us that God is going to provide all that we need. If you just really don’t know how the month’s bills are going to be paid, that’s okay because God already has that all worked out.
That doesn’t mean we’re free to blow any penny that comes our way. God asks us to be good stewards of the money He has entrusted to us. If you’re in the red but the FedEx truck still pulls up to your door every day with packages of non-essential items, then it’s time for you to make some changes. God will help us change, but He won’t necessarily bail us out of trouble of our own making without repentance. He may want us to experience the consequences of our overspending to help us break that shopping habit.
But what about those times when the unexpected happens? When you lose your job with little or no notice? Suddenly there’s no paycheck coming. Or what if you receive a large, completely unexpected bill? That’s when this verse is so comforting. God’s got this. Sure, we may not have money for luxuries for a while, but He’s not going to let us starve. He’s there for us. What knocked us for a loop didn’t surprise Him. He has a plan. Trust Him. Listen to Him. Obey Him. Rest in Him. If you’re facing a period of unexpected monetary leanness, praise God! He’s going to show Himself faithful in ways that will bless your socks off! We’ll come out the other side with a new level of trust in the God Who has promised to provide our every need.