Having enough. That may be the biggest single issue that leads to human conflict. Somebody is afraid of not having enough and so tries to make up the difference by taking from somebody else.
But Scripture tells us again and again that there is more than enough for everybody. In fact, we would do better to worry about how to best give stuff away than to concern ourselves with collecting more.
There's enough time right now for you to consider what you have as a follower of God, and what you might do to give away what you own.
I lift up my eyes to the hills — from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
Psalm 121
Dorothy Dale Owen once said, “Faith is the willingness to take a risk without knowing the outcome.”
Many scholars believe today’s Scripture from the Psalms was written to travelers who were embarking on a long journey home from the temple in Jerusalem. These journeys were often dangerous and unpredictable. Travelers feared illnesses from the sun or what some believed to be the effects from the moon, such as leprosy and fever. However, the psalmist looked up at the sky and felt the presence of the God who created the universe, who painted the stars, and filled the seas, and felt reassured that they were not abandoned or alone.
God sometimes calls us to take risks and let go of the things we cannot control. We like looking out at the road ahead, knowing that everything is going to be okay. And sometimes we really don’t know that. But the God of the Psalms does not abandon us. How is God calling you to take a courageous risk today?
Marc van Bulck
Eternal God, be with me on the journey today. Remind me that I am not alone. Grant me the courage to take a risk of faithfulness even when it doesn’t look easy. Amen.
Look around right now;
See all that you possess,
All that is yours.
Now remind yourself
That it all belongs to God;
It is in your hands
For just a moment.
Live your life today
Grateful
For the abundance
Of grace that is yours
To give away.