Ernest & Carmen

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. (Matthew 19:29)

God often gives us fleeting glimpses of His promises in this life...and it makes you yearn in eager expectation for that Day.

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I've never had this much money before. It's not much - enough to buy a really cheap, old car perhaps - but it's infinitely more than nothing. It'd be nice to have a car. No need to luge heavy groceries. No late night trains/bus. No need to depend on friends for lifts. No more round-about way of getting somewhere that really only takes 15mins.

No drinking either. =P
(Not that I do anyways)

But internally, war was raging in my mind as to how to spend it in the most gospel-minded way. Pangs of greed and discontentment gripped me, together with the subtle temptation of self-justification. What Would Jesus Do? He never had any money to speak of. He had to tell Peter to go fishing in order to get enough money for the temple tax. He had to borrow a coin from the crowd to use Caesar's portrait as an illustration.

What Would Jesus Do?

Dunno what He would do with money, but I do know what He would do because it's what He did - He laid down His life for the good of others. So I resolved to give part of it to several MTS apprentices that I support irregularly. I wrote out 3 cheques and gave it to them last weekend. Feeling the hole left in my pocket, but rejoicing because it enabled them to continue serving the Lord.

Two days later, I got into work to be greeted by an envelope from my company marked "Confidential". I opened it tentatively, unsure of what to expect. My eyes skimmed quickly over the words on the page...

I grinned sheepishly in semi-disbelief. It was an end-of-year bonus. And it was exactly double the total of the 3 cheques. I sat dazed and in awe of God's providence.

God is good.

<< Thank God for His grace and mercy, not only in providing for my daily needs, but more importantly for giving me life through His Son. Pray that I can continue to trust in Him, even when things aren't so good. >>

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)

(Hmm...now I'm back where I started with the same problem...)