Last Saturday Diann and I received in the mail our regular financial update of our retirement/pension/investment funds. The figures were not pretty! From January of this year to the end of September (note: this does not even include what happened so far in October) we lost 20% of its value! That money simply disappeared into thin air — POOF!
Our experience is, unfortunately, the norm. Most of us have taken a serious financial hit, and will continue to be battered, from all that’s happening in the financial realm. What are we to make of this as followers of Jesus Christ?
I’m seeing that the Lord is teaching Diann and myself two key messages. First, that we should never put our confidence in the material, and that includes the financial realm. Most experts say that the money we thought we had socked away was only on paper, that it was only really there if we chose to cash it in at that particular time. This reality serves to remind us that what we thought was so real (our hard-earned money) is not so real after all and that we’d better be depending on that which will be real for all eternity, the things of God. Laying up treasure in heaven is making more sense as each day passes!
Second, we’re learning to trust the Lord for all of our needs, including financial. God is the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow. He does not vacillate like the ups and downs of the stock market! He will always be there for us.
Yes, these are tough financial times. But, as often happens under these conditions, they will undoubtedly turn out to be the best of spiritual times!
Dave
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