My Sons are Taken Care Of!

Working in a law firm makes the realities of day-to-day living even more real for me.

If I only taught music, I would seldom come across the harsh side of life, such as joblessness, serious illness and death. Wisdom tells us to be aware of these realities and prepare for them. We are to give thought to estate planning, to ensure we leave a good inheritance to our children (Proverbs 13:22) and to prepare at least one alternative income channel (Proverbs 27:23-24) in case of financial reversals (job loss or economic downturns).

But sometimes life hits us when we are unprepared. Take the example of the widow who approached Elisha in the following passage.

2 Kings 4:1-2 (ESV) – Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves." And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?" And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil."

We see in this situation a devout man, who maybe wasn’t as careful with his money as he ought to have been, or may have been cut down in the prime of his life through sickness. You think such things don’t happen to godly people? Go have a heart-to-heart chat with your pastor and you will find out the truth. It is one thing that I don’t think I will ever understand this side of heaven, how mighty men of God, some greatly used by God to bring healing miracles to others, can sometimes die of illness too. 

So when human effort fails us, does God leave us to our own devices? Or does he intervene to help his people and show us mercy?

2 Kings 4:3-7 (ESV) – Then he said, "Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside." So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another." Then the oil stopped flowing. She came and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest."

It is easy for me to get this miracle by Elisha mixed up with the one by Elijah, when he met the widow of Zarephath, described in 1 Kings 17:9-15. In a nutshell, God directed Elijah to Zarephath, where he met a starving widow who only had enough for one meal. She gave a small portion of it to Elijah, and God multiplied the rest to last them for the rest of the famine.

As a Word-of-Faith person, I saw in that account Elijah teaching the widow to use the law of sowing and reaping for her benefit. She sowed a token amount of food into Elijah’s life, and she received enough food to sustain her son and herself for possibly two to three years.

But the widow in Elisha’s case received a lot more than that. She received enough for her sons and her to not only pay off debts but even last until her sons grew up and started working. The Bible doesn’t give us the details, but I would not be surprised if this provision miracle was at least twice as rich and twice as long in duration as the one given to the widow of Zarephath.

Why did this disparity? I personally believe it is because of the difference in the seed sown. The widow of Zarephath sowed a token amount of food to a man of God. The prophet who died before his time sowed his life to seeking God. He feared the LORD and lived in a community of people who sought the LORD too.

And the issue of community is very important. We are not called by God to seek him by ourselves. We are to live in community with other believers, knowing that we can mature only in fellowship with other believers…

Ephesians 4:15-17 (ESV) - speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

And that also means being willing to supply the needs of other believers also.

Ephesians 4:28 (ESV) -  Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

The connection between sharing with others and receiving provision is clearly stated in the following verse.

2 Corinthians 8:14 (ESV) - your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.

This is a verse that does not get preached about very much. Think about it. The lazy, who want to find ways to sponge off others, want verses that tell them that they can expect to receive money without having to labour for it and without having  to sow financially into the lives of others first. The diligent who are prosperous and giving to church and the poor don’t want to hear that someday they may lose the material possessions they have laboured for and have to depend on the generosity and kindness of others

How often do you find a verse that manages to offend two very different groups of people?

Conclusion:

I am not sure what God will speak to you from this passage. For me, however, this is very assuring. I know I live my life as unto the LORD, but I have made financial mistakes before. Frankly, I end up worrying about how to provide for my sons. Will they have to suffer for my mistakes and wrong decisions?

So this account in Scripture tells me that no matter how I may have messed up financially, God is still there. He still has the desire to provide for my sons. And knowing that just gives me the assurance to just keep living my life for serving God. I know that my sons will be taken care of!

And I am also firmly reminded to look for opportunities to give, to sow financially into the lives of others. And I am especially serious about sowing into the bereaved families of servants of God. Like it or not, there will be men and women of God who have given their lives to serving the Lord, but have been taken from this life before their time.  They will leave behind families who need help and it is our role, our responsibility and our privilege to be used by God to supply for their needs.

What then are the lessons in this that God wants you to take to heart? Do share, that I too may be edified and encouraged by your faith. Be blessed!

This Christmas 2012

Singapore, where I come from, is a pretty Westernized place.

You can tell from how people in general are fine with celebrating Christmas, even when they are not believers. Many offices have Christmas parties, not worrying about whether they would offend staff who hold different religions. After all, everyone over in Singapore seems to agree that a year-end holiday, presents and parties, are a good thing regardless of what religious beliefs you hold.

In the midst of the happy vibes all over, I just want to remind you that there are people who are not in the festive mood. In fact, the festivities everywhere only alienates them and makes them feel even more left out and alone.

I’m talking about the poor.

Matthew 26:11 (NIV) - The poor you will always have with you…

And when they see people around them celebrating, buying loads of expensive stuff (maybe on credit cards? Not a smart idea!) and partying, and they go home (if they have a home) and pain hits…

Galatians 2:10 (NKJV) - They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.

So as you enjoy the season, celebrate the birth of Jesus (yeah, I know all the stuff about it not being on 25th December and all that), take a while to remember the poor, both those in your church and outside of it. Take a while to remember that they will always need a bit of practical kindness, a little more love shown, especially during a season when they can feel unwanted and left out. Or they may grieve more deeply for loved ones that have left them, like widows and orphans.

1 Timothy 5:5 (NIV) - The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help.

Put yourself in this widow’s shoes for a moment, in such a bad situation that she has to pray for help night and day. This verse, by the way, puts paid to a common Word-of-Faith idea that if you trust God for what you pray for, you should ask for it once and after that just thank God in faith. I do practice that, but I see from 1 Timothy 5:5 that we cannot say that anyone who keeps asking does not have faith. The words “to pray” in the above passage is translated as “supplications” in the New King James Version, and the Bible says such a widow trusts in God. So God has no problems with us supplicating him for our needs day and night!

The point of what I am saying, however, is that the poor are amongst us. What are we going to do about it?

And if you are the one who is poor, struggling to pay your rent, put food on the table and still trying to keep your children’s spirits up, let me just tell you that God has not forgotten you. He wants to help, to provide for your needs…

Philippians 4:19 (NIV) - And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

… but he wants you to do your part and trust him. Go out and bless someone else, just as the Philippian churches did with Paul.

Philippians 4:15-16 (NIV) - Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.

So look out for people who need your help. Even if you are poor, there will ALWAYS be something you can do, even if it is just simply turn up for a Christmas service and join in the worship. Sit near the front and encourage the worship leaders by letting them see that you, for one, are appreciating their efforts to lead people into praising God this Christmas. A smile, a phone call to a lonely relative or friend or a random act of kindness will go a long way in reminding your soul that God has made you to be a blessing, regardless of how much or how little you have in your bank account or wallet.
And of course, you can bless your pastor by helping him or her with the Christmas activities around church, or even an encouraging word. Don’t forget your church leaders!
I know this is not the usual email you get from me, about worship ministry matters or spiritual stuff. I guess sometimes we need to remember that we are always in a position to give, and to keep our hearts poised to do so.

2 Corinthians 8:12 (NIV) - For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

May our Lord find the gifts we give this season acceptable and pleasing in his eyes. Be blessed!