Money III

Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am thy God.  I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10 [NIV]

If I won the lottery, my financial inadequacies would be over, correct?  I would never again have a moment of want, a time of financial desperation.  I would have the funds to help myriads of people—young and old.  I would be able to do so many wonderful things.  I… I… I… I… and there lies the rub.  When there is no money, my dependence upon God is a daily necessity.  When there is no need, however, there often is no communication.  When there is no communication, there is no reliance.  When there is no reliance, there is no trust. When there is no trust, there is no relationship.

Early Sunday morning, as we were walking to the Fine Arts Building from the parking garage at Carnegie-Mellon, my mind was going over the quite real impossibilities of our task.  My young friend is gloriously talented, but would the adjudicators hear in him what I hear?  If he were accepted, how could he possibly attend?  Coming from Virginia, there would be out-of-state tuition.  The cost at such a great institution has to be very high.  Where would the money come from?  Would the family be willing to accept any kind of a financial burden?  Would the father allow him to attend, considering all the financial obstacles littering the pathway? 

I did not share any of these concerns with my student.  Instead, I said to him, “There is a verse from the Old Testament that I want you to keep in the forefront of your mind this morning, and during the waiting period that follows this audition.  When you begin to feel nervous, just concentrate on this verse.  I then shared with him the wonderful words of Isaiah 41.  When you are nervous and afraid, He is with you.  When you are discouraged and wonder if this is even possible, He is God.  There is assurance of strength, help, hope, and being held in the palm of His gentle, loving hands.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

Money II

Sea Anemone, Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium

Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.  

Deuteronomy 8:18 [NAS]

My desire to be a philanthropist dates back to many years of financial hardship due to unbelievable medical bills.  Our daily existence was paid in pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters rather than currency – which flew out the door to medical providers as fast as it came in.  There was a period of 16 months when we were homeless – taken in by a concerned church member, living in an ancient trailer with no A/C in the middle of the Arizona desert.  The road in and out of the place was so bad, we regularly experienced flats on one of our bald tires. 

I vividly remember one day experiencing a flat tire on the old truck as we headed from the market.  I had no jack and, for that matter, no spare.  The cab of the truck was blistering hot, so we [me holding a newborn, with a 2- and 3-yr-old clutching my legs] stood by the side of the road hoping and praying that someone would help us.  A police paddy wagon arrived before too long, and we had the privilege of riding home in the cage.  The girls thought it a great adventure.  I was grateful to be out of the heat.

During those long years of deprivation, it was not uncommon for someone to slip up to me at church and hand me a plain white envelope with no name.  Often this gesture was followed by the words, “Someone asked me to give you this.”  The cash inside always seemed to be just the amount that I needed—for a pressing bill, or just to live.  I rarely had a human face to attach to the giving of the offering, but I didn’t need one.  I knew exactly where the money came from:  it was heaven-inspired, heaven-sent.

It is conceivable that at some point, a generous benefactor could have paid off our entire medical debt – freeing our little family to live a life devoid of financial burden. Would our lives have been different?  Oh, yes!  Would our lives have been better?  Definitely yes, in a physical sense, but in spiritual ways?  I’m not so sure…         

Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing always, only for my King. 

Money

Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice.

Proverbs 16:8 [NAS]

I have a confession to make.  I have within my heart a great desire—a longing actually, to have great wealth.  I keep the thought buried most of the time, but it crops its insistent head ever so often – particularly when I see a billboard for… the lottery.  Oh my, you say.  [sigh] Oh, yes.  Why [other than the obvious reasons] would you want great wealth? you ask.  The answer is simple:  I want to be a philanthropist.

There are so many people who are in need of someone to champion their needs.  I am not talking about that which is frivolous.  If I had great wealth to manage and distribute, I would champion children and youth many different ways:

·         Give to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital to fund further research for cures to childhood cancers.

·         Give to Smile Train to fund cleft palate surgeries for thousands of children.

·         Provide scholarships for college students

·         Provide internships for high school/college students in various disciplines

·         Provide resources for teachers in all levels of education

·         Provide school supplies for children who cannot afford them

·         Fund after-school activities and community youth centers

The list could go on and on.  The Lord and I have had so many conversations on this subject.  He must chuckle to Himself every time He knows that a lottery billboard is coming into view.  I have written on this subject previously, I will probably write on this subject at a future date.  So many to help, so little money, yet the Lord does not choose to provide me with any.  Or has He?

Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.