Gee, what a cheerful way to start the day! This is becoming the norm these days.
Our morning paper features even more positive news! (No doubt, you can sense my sarcasm.)
Note that the scare headline gets more attention than Smart Money Magazine with the story about Columbia being poised to rebound!
Well, we all know that these headlines and stories are all over. But, now that I've got your attention with the "sales" tactics used by the mainstream media, elite or not, I'll share with you what I really wanted to share here. I was reading my daily bible reading. Ok, it was from August 29th. I'm a little behind in getting the bible read in a year, but I'll make it. Anyway, this verse jumped out at me from the book of Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 - In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other.
Now, I don't necessarily believe that God has caused this economic mess, but I do believe he is aware of it and knew it was coming.
The book of Ecclesiastes is kind of an uncomfortable book for me each time I'm there. Here's the smartest guy in the world, Solomon, and even he can't figure anything out. He seemingly had all the wisdom a human could hope to have, all the property, all the treasure, all the public works, all the women, all the servants, and still he said, "What's the use?" Here's a man who had it all, but had drifted away from God, and all of it didn't matter!
I love the biblical heroes, David, Moses, Noah, Paul. All of them had their problems and faults. That gives me comfort!
One of my all-time, lifelong heros Bear Bryant said during a post-game speech after the Crimson Tide had lost the game, "It could be that the Good Lord is testing us. I don't know. Can't tell." You can't put it more succinctly than that.
So why would God allow this economic crisis, housing slump, and credit crunch? Could it be that he will use it to demonstrate His Awesome Grace? Could it be that he wanted us to pay more attention to Him than our wealth and reputation and career? I don't know. Can't tell.
But here's the thing. And wise old Solomon came to this:
Ecclesiastes 8:12 - Yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 - Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Its been said that "True happiness apart from Christ is impossible." I believe it. I believe it no matter what God causes or allows to happen with the economy. Keep the focus on Him and like the Bear told 'Bama, "If we do that, we'll be alright. If we do that, we'll be alright."
Just my thoughts and I hope it works out well for all of us.
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