We are Rich!

Shane sent me an email today with the subject of "We are rich!", then it had this article below linked to it. See, Shane and I both have really been struggling lately. Yes, we live in a lovely furnished lakehouse in a darling town, and are part of an amazing church. But, our house in Kentucky still hasn't sold yet! (don't you feel sorry for us?) We know God's word, we know we are blessed, we know we have it good, but still we worry and struggle. Yes, there are legitimate reasons for us to struggle, and I'm not undermining those, but in the light of human suffering and the situations many people find themselves in today, we are by no means "suffering."

Yesterday at church, Marc reminded us (me...he was talking to me, I know it!) that not only could things be worse, but things should be worse! So, maybe you're thinking he doesn't quite have the gift of encouragement?! But, just the opposite, it IS encouraging. What do I really deserve, in light of the gospel? I DESERVE hell, judgement, condemnation. But, God's grace came and because of what Jesus Christ did, I have so much more than I deserve. THAT is truth. And, further, I KNOW (not always feel) that God has a greater purpose in our home not selling right now. What is that purpose? I don't know, but I suppose it could be: to keep hammering into our stubborn heads that this world is not our home, to keep us humble, to keep us relying on him for our needs. I remember a quote from CS Lewis, that goes something along the lines of: God allows us little glimpses in this life of what is to come...like sunsets, holding hands with a lover, walks in the woods...but He never allows us to get too comfortable, lest we forget that this world is not our home. I think of that quote (or at least my paraphrase) often. He doesn't want me to get too comfortable. And, I like to be comfortable. One of us is going to win...and I fully expect it won't be me! :)

Anyhow, here's an excerpt of that article Shane sent me, with a link to the full article. Be challenged, be convicted, be reminded of God's grace in your own life, and then go bless others.

"Have you ever thought about why you were born into your particular
circumstances? If you are reading this blog entry you are most likely a
Christian whose life has been purchased by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
You are also likely relatively wealthy, at least compared to most people living
in the world. If you have the ability to eat three times per day and have
shelter over your head, you are better off than many people in the world. If you
earn $25,000 per year, you are the richest 10% of the world. You are rich. In
fact if you earn $2,200 per year you are the richest 15% of the world. If you
reading this you are literate and likely had several years of education. If so
you have received more education than hundreds of millions of people around the
world...

...You could have been born as an impoverished child in an unreached nation. Perhaps as a girl born into a Muslim family where you would be forbidden to show anything beyond what can be seen through the eye slits of your veil and could be beaten if you disobeyed even the simplest command of your father. You could have been born in a remote village in Vietnam with little food or education and no opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You could have been born as a girl in Africa who will eventually be sold by your parents into sexual slavery. That could have been you.

But it's not you. Instead you were born into privileged circumstances. Blessed physically, educationally, financially, and spiritually. Why? Only by the grace of God. What is our response then to such blessing and grace?

Certainly God calls us to be thankful. But too few of us are. We take for granted the blessings that we have received from God. Instead of thanksgiving for what we have received, we complain about and lust after the things that we don't have. We covet what our neighbors have. We idolize material things. We are surrounded by clear,
tangible, practical blessings from God that should be so easily recognized and
enjoyed. But our eyes and hearts are too often and too easily diverted toward
what we don't have by the power and persuasion of advertising and social
pressure. Lord, forgive us for our lack of thanksgiving!..."

read whole article here