We remember a couple of years back when the crisis burst on the world scene so many people were so unsure about their tomorrows.
We’re meant to trust the Lord!
Wherever we ministered, we would say: ‘Yes, things may seem bad here and in other nations. But the real truth for Christians is that we are not under our nation’s economy, nor the world’s economy... we’re under God’s economy. Let’s trust him and keep honouring his church and others with our finance and generosity, and he will look after us. Be generous to your church and other Christians and God, who is so generous himself, will look after us and bless us.’
We’ve operated this godly, biblical principle ourselves and we have never felt disadvantaged personally. Nor have others who did – and still do – what we recommended from the word!
Then, this month, another ‘big scare’ hit the world scene. We’ve just been shocked at the big American almost 15 trillion dollar one that is still having adverse effects. TV news talks of ‘further dipping’, ‘expanding downturn’, ‘return of the 30’s depression’ and ‘Is China going to become the new America, dollar power-wise?’ and so on.
Scary piles of $100 dollars bills images!
(See YouTube http://usdebt.kleptocracy.us/)
$1 million dollars ($1,000,000 of $100 dollar bills)
$1 trillion! ($1,000,000,000,000 of $100 dollar bills)
But the image below of $100 bills is really scary! It's said to represent the incredible figure that arose from America's August 'refinancing answer.' Almost a staggering 15 trillion dollars! ($15,000,000,000,000)!
Someone has quipped, ‘Even the Statue of Liberty looks so worried at America’s incredible, unpayable debt.’
The proverbial ostrich in action?
Evidently if the American government doesn’t really fix its budget, then by Christmas this year the US national debt (credit card bill) will topple 15 trillion, passing 20% of the entire world’s combined GPD!
So what was America’s answer to its crisis? Extend its current loan! A sort of ostrich tactic of burying one’s head in the sand.
It was no wonder that as Maureen shared at a church recently on the August scare and how it is still affecting the whole world, she jokingly said, ‘Following America’s response, I have the answer to every debt owed. Simply add some more zeroes to any existing amount and forget about it for it’ll go away! Well...that is until in just a little while the crisis will become an even bigger one!’ She was applauded.
But, aware of not only people’s financial concerns, but also about terrorism, the recent London troubles, lack of trust in governments, people, certain church leaders, earthquakes and the big ‘Where is God? ‘question, Maureen went on to share from Habakkuk.
Where is out trust – really?
A prophet for our day, Habakkuk understood that God’s own people can’t see that he is still in charge in the midst of every world ‘apparent’ disaster! In an oracle (supernatural word) God says that he knows what his own people, never mind secular individuals, are thinking: ‘How long do I have to cry out for help before you listen?’ (Hab. 1:2). In other words, people love to blame God, not themselves.
An imminent and highly intelligent economist, a professor, recently said the financial trouble countries are in didn’t happen overnight. That it’s the result of ‘40 years of careless personal management!’
Maureen went on to say that God always knows what’s going down. That through Habakkuk he gives an unexpected answer to our questions when he proclaims: ‘Look at the nations and watch – be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told’ (Hab.1: 5).
And we surely live in such frightening days when people are wondering ‘What’s next? What about this nation and that one? Who or what can I trust? How long before the next big money crash?’
Habakkuk’s writings spell out that God has allowed things to go wrong (wrong in our eyes) so that he gets our attention. That today God is challenging Christians regarding where our trust really is – dubious financial gain, governments, so-called prophecies or in a theocratic God (government by God) and the promises of his word?
Today God is encouraging us to really do what we’re meant to...’Live by faith’ (Hab. 2:4). The Message Bible puts it this way: ‘The person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive.’ Verse 5 lays it on the line regarding trusting false worldly financial security: ‘Note well: Money deceives.’
Habakkuk’s answer to troubled times
The prophet lived in a day of complaints, bewilderment, aggression and God being accused of everything that was ‘going wrong.’ But he refused to stay there. He waited, listened and prayed. And he was convinced that believing in God, and trusting him fully, is the only way to being at rest to enjoy a world under God’s sovereignty. That no matter what is going wrong; every detail of our life is worked into something good for us by the God because he loves us so much.
No wonder Habakkuk could wrap his book up by powerfully declaring: ‘Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen, though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields are stunted, though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns are empty, I’m singing joyful praise to God. I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Saviour God. Counting on God’s rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength’ (3:17-19).
The link with the Hebrews’ message of God’s rest
Maureen wrapped up her encouraging message this way...’But of course we have to want to enter into such a worriless, anxiety-free life of rest, such as the writer of Hebrews talks about (Heb. 4:9-10). Verse 16 urges us to “Approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”’
A timely word indeed for all Christians, in right standing before God through Christ’s Calvary sacrifice, and who wish to be at rest today under God’s loving theocratic government!
