Thoughts of the Month
Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you
are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your
plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what
you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much
did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little." (2
Corinthians, Chapter 8, verses 13-15 inc., NIV Text from the Life Application
Bible, (1992), Kingsway, Eastbourne, page 2093).*
Comment: here we see
God is concerned about equality and by default also, that matter of
'in-equality'! Moreover, if we think of the signing of free movement of trade
and people agreements one minute and then imposing self preservationists/self
interested restrictions and prohibitive, punitive preconditions based often on
greed, misconceptions and myopic fears than faith; we see that excess of
population, shortages of right population, excess of skills, shortages of skills
as well as monetary or food, energy and water supplies; it is the sharing, the
redistribution, the commonality of the common, the God-given distributions, that
only work if we do it God's way, which is to give and be given and submit to,
like Joseph and the famine in Egypt, (Genesis Chapter 41 onwards); compassionate
and responsible stewardship and inclusion, go hand in hand, with God's will of
redressing inequality, money being just one...a tool, not an end in itself which
is idolatry; similarly the use of marriage!
Our basis for belief and
pursuit 'buying in' to the spirit of this, should not be based on envy or
covetousness or begrudgement; that is a wrong spirit and not of God either!
Rather, because it is God, it is right, and it is an act of genuine expression
and obedience of faith, than just words, academia, emptiness, banter, hector or
pontification... faith in action, but faith, none-the-less!
If we
struggle in that 'faith' (that commits to redress inequality because of an
intrinsic to any profession of Jesus Christ at any or all levels, not a
pre-qualifier to salvation; but a genuine fruit, as a result of coming to know
and love Him?); if not, then maybe we need to re-examine what we believe, test
whether we do know Jesus or not and ask God to help us put our first security in
Him, before our wallets, possessions, careers, families, cars or whatever, as
only when Jesus is Lord in our hearts, minds and whole lives as the No. 1 and
only 1!
Then can we be truly set free as Christians; to trust, obey and
reach out with integrity and humility to others, to invite them to our shared
faith, our shared community of believers, our stewarded context in God's time,
plan and creation, His planet, His Church, His money, His children!
When we see Jesus on the throne of
our lives, then we are freer to obey, have enough and that can be liberation in
many hidden ways, as if you don't need a TV and save the £150 per year on a
License Fee, it is one less thing for a burglar to take, but more time,
attention and resource for you to deliver and enjoy with God and others...to
invest in what really matters and those people and jobs which lay undone/sorted
and which need a boost, a care, a lifeline. Thanks.
For a check list on
God's focal heart, see Psalm 146, especially verse 5-9 inclusively, maybe pray
and consider how we can nurture a greater move and appreciation to a Church
leading on equality in pro affirma terms, from which our political masters may
take a new cue? Amen, may it be so, even in our day Lord Jesus, Amen again!'
One other thought also please: Are you fatherless? You can have a father,
God is and can be father and mother, he is our real parent all encompassing and
our earthly parents, are God given to steward us to an age to take
responsibility for ourselves, judged traditionally in England as 16, 18 and 21
respectively over time. Do you know God as father? If you need one, that's a
goal to give some thought to...how can I know God as Father? Seek Jesus in The
Bible, the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, read the Book of Romans
also, which maps out important chunks of the Bible and the Christian context of
faith, love and life/obediences'.
God's peace to you all and me, I pray!
Amen.