we’ve been given enough…

let me ask you, do you think GOD is stingy?  obviously the sunday school answer, the right answer is no, GOD is not stingy.  but in the back of our minds we have at one time or another thought GOD is stingy.  here’s how we think it: “GOD, you’re a great GOD.  but if only you’d give me little more.  if only you would give me a little more time.  if only you would give me a little more money.  a lot more money!  if only you would give me different talents than the talents that i have.  i would have a great life.”

what we’re really thinking is, “GOD, you didn’t give me enough to have the great life i know i could have!”  when the truth is, GOD has given us enough.  HE’s given us enough time, HE’s given us enough money, HE’s given us the right talents to have the great life that HE has planned for us.  only in america could we be surrounded by so much and think somehow that the secret to happiness is having more.  it’s not having more.  it’s learning to use as a gift the things that GOD has given to us.  the secret is using the gifts that i’ve been given.  we’re surrounded by these gifts that GOD has given. 

john 1.16 (msg), we all live off HIS generous bounty, gift after gift after gift.  that’s what GOD does in our life.  not that any of us have a perfect life, not that any of us don’t have struggles in our life or some times of lack in our life.  but everything that we have, every good thing that comes into our lives is a gift of GOD.  and they keep coming.  gift after gift after gift.  they come to all of us.

JESUS said in matthew 5.45 (msg), this is what GOD does.  HE gives HIS best.  the sun to warm, the rain to nourish, to everyone regardless, the good and the bad.  you don’t have to be a good person.  you don’t have to go to church in order to benefit from GOD’s gifts.  everybody gets the gift of time.  everybody gets the gift of talents and resources.  the question is how do you use those gifts.  do you use them just on yourself, selfishly.  or do you use them as gifts of GOD and truly begin to enjoy them?

just a thought from the front porch…