I've been thinking a lot recently about the tension between God supplying all our 'needs', and living in Gods 'abundance'. Often those who say the Christian life is not a life of material or monetary abundance but abundance in the spiritual sense, have formed this view based on some outrageous church abuses. We can all think of people who have used manipulation and persuasive teaching for personal monetary gain.
Yet there must be some physical manifestation of the abundant life for the here and now. Surely we cant be just living with a futuristic hope of life abundant.
We often lay down our God given dreams because they just seem too big or unattainable. Why is that? I have been guilty of laying down some big dreams and generally its because of a lack of resources. Would God place dreams in my heart and then not supply the necessary resources to live out those dreams? Is that what a loving Father does? Matthew 7 says 'your Father who is in heaven knows how to give good gifts to those who ask him'. Until we begin to see God as 'Father' or our 'loving Dad' we can never begin to walk in abundance.
In the previous chapter Jesus says not to be like the Gentiles who like to be heard by their many words. He says your Father knows what you 'need' before you even ask! Interesting that in the very next chapter he encourages then to continue asking!! Whats the difference?
In chapter 6 he is specifically talking about their needs and in chapter 7, he is referring to gifts. Maybe we aren't experiencing the abundance that God has for us because we simply aren't asking? We are thanking him for meeting our daily needs and missing out in the abundance he has for us because we have embraced a sacrificial poverty gospel message. He came that we might have life and life abundant (John 10:10). Has the enemy being using a theology of embracing poverty to steal from us our rich inheritance (both now and eternal)?
Yes our God supplies all our needs which by the way are according to his 'riches' in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19), yet He also wants to give good gifts. Some seasons are for sowing and some are for reaping. If we only ever learn to sow in generosity and never learn to reap, we will never experience the Father who wants to give good gifts to his children. If my earthly dad bought me a brand new piano and in the name of generosity I gave it away to someone else, how do you think my dad would feel? Lets not dishonour the giver by showing contempt for the gifts. By rejoicing in the gift we are in fact giving honour to the giver. My dad would get great delight and pleasure by seeing me play and love my new piano.
When we are seeking first the Kingdom and His righteousness, he has promised that all things will be added. I don't want to live a life where I cant walk in all the fulness of what God has for me. Im thankful to my Father for meeting all my needs but Im also grateful that he is a Father who wants to bless his children with gifts and heavenly abundance. There is no lack in heaven and as we bring heaven to earth, we should not be experiencing lack in our lives. My hope is that His Kingdom will expand in my life and of those around me both in the spiritual and in the physical.
