I'm a beggar. There was a time when I didn't dare beg God for anything (except maybe forgiveness) and then a friend said: "You don't know all that God wants to give you...why not ask?" so I was inspired to pray for a house, and God said, "yes". That was about all it took for me to form a new theology: "Ask".
The asking commenced.
Over the years I've asked God for anything and everything from beating my husband at backgammon (because it would do him good to lose), to reconciled marriages of friends, to miracles of physical and spiritual healing. But sadly I find myself begging Him for money to a shameful excess. That's how money is; there are always new reasons to need it. This week was no exception. We just could not make those records work. Thinking about money weighed me down all week!
Until this morning.
A milky mist had settled around us in the wee hours and I awoke to white in every direction.
It gave the illusion that the house had lost its grip on earth during the night.
It was "other-worldly".
It made me think of Heaven.
Remember Heaven... that place God promised to bring us when our soul loses its' grip on earth? ( John 14:2) Remember how He promised that all that belongs to His son, we will also enjoy? ( Romans 8:17) Remember how He warned us that what we pour our resources into now, affects what we will enjoy in the future? (Matt. 6:19) I think perhaps much of my begging comes from trying too hard to make the here and the now as heavenly as possible. 1 Pt. 2:11 (The Message) "Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it."
Randy Alcorn writes in his book, The Teasure Principle : "God wants people so filled with a vision for eternity that they wouldn't dream of not investing their money, time, and prayers where they will matter most. He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures and has reason to despair. He who lays up treasures in Heaven is daily moving toward them and has reason to rejoice."
"For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called..." 1 Timothy 6:10-12a
How do I "take hold"? One way is letting go of the green stuff!
