Thursday, January 29, 2009

The God of the Credit Crunch

OK, if you’re thinking….what does that mean?…..let me start off by saying that....

Today, the world is a strange and almost different place from what it once was……Some of the companies that I wanted to work for in 2006 (when I graduated from college), no longer exist, and those that do, aren’t hiring, but are laying off folks….

Real estate properties that seemed all so pricey then are such a bargain now….

A black, and dare I add, of Kenyan origin male ran for presidency in the U.S. and won…….

Over 100,000 jobs announced would be cut in the U.S……..

My relationship with a woman I deeply loved and cared for came to a sudden and heartbreaking end…….

I blame the credit crunch for all of these occurrences (well, I am not sure to what extent my relationship was affected by the credit crunch, but bear with me).

It seems that 2008 (and what’s spent of 2009) has been fairly eventful, for better or for worse……..but there’s hope……..

What I want you to know, and be assured of is that our God is Lord of the credit crunch……

It means that He’s God over it! It means that He stands above all the circumstances in our lives (even the credit crunch) and reigns victorious!…..It means that credit crunch or not, He is still God…...It means that God changes not, just because of the credit crunch! It means that God’s character doesn’t change, just because of a global financial recession! It means that you can still praise God and give Him glory, in the midst of the credit crunch for He is great and worthy to be praised! It means that in spite of what’s going on around you, God still wants, and wishes to be in your life, and to be your God!

This blog won’t have many bible references for two reasons:
1). Due to a bitter row with the utility company, I have no electricity, and so I am typing this out, with one eye at the battery left over on my P.C., and trying to beat the clock……..

2). I really wanna take time to minister to someone who, could be looking at the world as it is today, and wondering where’s the hope, and if there’s hope….and don’t want to sound “airy” with a liberal dose of the bible verses and references ……

In the 2008/09 tax year, I was laid off from my job in the U.S. in early 2008 (not because of the credit crunch), and then found my way back home (Nairobi, Kenya) and began the journey of self discovery, both personally, professionally and spiritually. And trust me, that has been turbulent……It sometimes feels like for every step forward I made, I meandered severally, and really took 10 steps backward…..but yet, in spite of the challenges ahead…..I press on, I have faith……I have hope……

Why is that? Is it because business is picking up?…….well, it has, but that’s not the reason……Is it because I have become smarter in my business dealings? No……Is it because a rich relative has bailed me out of my own personal credit crunch? No…….it’s because of this great God who is Lord of the Credit Crunch……..

In Luke 12:22-34, Jesus is challenging the way we react to the situations in our lives….I think the most natural reaction that comes to us when life becomes difficult, or things take a turn for the worse is to worry…….I remember when I lost my job, and tried to get another one but couldn’t (because most companies weren’t willing to hire in the wake of the credit crunch), worry began to set in……I wish I thought to encourage my soul from this passage of scripture……it could have saved me quite a bit of anguish.

One thing that the Lord wants us to be able to do is to NOT worry, but rather trust in Him……When we worry, we move our focus from God and what He can do, to the situations in our life…..We begin to build a sanctuary of doubt and disbelief, rather than an alter of praise and worship to God who is our supply!

Jesus tells us in that passage of scripture to……..

v. 29 “….Seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind”
v. 30 “For all these things do the nations of the world seek after; and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things”
v. 31 “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you”
v. 32 “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom”

I’ve quoted these verses before in a different blog, but it is still very much rue……instead of focusing your energies on what you cannot change, focus your hearts, desires, thoughts, feelings and emotions on seeking God’s kingdom……as a measure of your trust and faith in God, focus your energies on that which is important to Him, and He will come right through for you!

In Genesis 22, we get two of some of the most important names for God…….This passage deals with the Lord asking Abraham to sacrifice His son Isaac.

Our God is Jehovah Jireh, our provider…..He will provide all of your needs, according to His riches in glory! Remember, the cattle on a thousand hills belong to Him, so do gold and silver…..Trust me, our God has got His bling on….

Our God is also Jehovah El Shaddai….our sufficiency……That means that He is all that we need, when we need it! He delivers us, saves us, restores us, blesses us all for His name’s sake…….He does it not because we do deserve His love, but because He is good! There’s nothing that we need, that God can’t give us…

I thank God that He has been my Jehovah Jireh, and my Jehovah El Shaddai…..the Lord has brought new business my way, He has protected my heart and guarded my soul from destruction, He has encamped beside me, restored my friendships and kept me safe from my enemies……..

I don’t know about what you face now, or what you have faced in your life…I don’t know what challenges have rocked you, or those things that have caused you to stumble and lose your way……my encouragement to you is that our God is Jehovah Jireh, and Jehovah El Shaddai………

Whether you believe in Him or not, whether you have been faithful to Him or not, whether you have been walking with Him or not, He remains who He is…..

He loves you, cares for you, protects you, restores you and wants to reign supreme in your life……I don’t know where the credit crunch finds you…..but it is my prayer that in this season, you may “taste, and see that the Lord is good!”

Even while things look bad, or crazy, look up to Him, who is able, and indeed more than able to deliver you, save you, restore you, sustain you, uphold you and cement you in His love, His grace, and His mercy……

Jesus tells us that he is come to “seek and save that which is lost”…..Do you feel lost, and without anyone to turn? He is right there “knocking at the door of your heart, waiting for you to let Him in”……Our Lord Jesus wants you to invite Him into your life, and let Him have His way in your life…..

It is my prayer that in this season of your life, wherever you are and whatever you may be going through, you will make our Lord God Jehovah, the God of the Credit Crunch……

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