Hello, wonderful Recharge Wednesday Community!
Before you start reading this beautiful post, let me introduce you to my new friend Bethany McIIrath.
I had been looking for a new contributor for our Wednesday Linkup parties for several weeks, praying and asking God to show me who to invite. I browsed several blogs. Looks at several statements of faith. Prayed and prayed, and for several weeks did not have that green light from the Holy Spirit… until I came across this sweet, godly young lady. After talking to her and both of us praying about it, God confirmed that she is the answer to my prayers!
Please take a moment to read the “About Bethany” at the end of this post, make sure to follow her on Social Media and visit her beautiful blog. You will be blessed! Don’t forget to linkup your recent post with us.
Thankful for each of you,
Patricia
Two men, many years apart in history, were blessed with abundance. With more bounty than they could enjoy at the time of harvest, the men stored up the excess in granaries. They heaped up God’s provision and saved it for another time.
There was a significant difference between the two, though.
One man was generous with abundance.
The other stored up his wealth for himself.
A Wise Reject
Exodus 41 tells the first story. In it, a farmer turned slave turned wrongly-incarcerated-prisoner became a ruler because God gave him the interpretation of a dream. This man, learning from God that God would give abundance for 7 years and then famine, stored up grain to preserve a nation. He praised God for making Him fruitful.
Joseph stored up grain with wisdom and was generous.
So, God’s chosen people were fed through the famine. Not-starved, they were on track for God’s plan to reveal His might to them and display His glory to all the world.
A Rich Fool
We read the parable of the second man in Luke 12, where he is dubbed “the rich fool.” The fool’s ground yielded more crops than expected. He didn’t have room to store them. So, he planned to raze his old granaries and raise up new ones for the surplus. Then, he intended to take it easy- his hard work (AKA his God-given ground) had paid off.
God proclaims the man a fool, pointing out that the man has not prepared himself for eternity. Further, God highlights that it’s vain to store up for ourselves instead of being rich toward God.
Our Abundance and Our Attitude
Like the two men, we have been blessed with abundance.
Like these men, we have a choice over our attitude about what God’s given us.
God likens our hearts to storage space. He urges us to guard them as Joseph did the granary. We’re also told that in Christ, our hearts are fill with abundance, even overflowing with living water from the Holy Spirit.
Often, we see our spiritual opulence as pay-off for our hard work though. The more we’re blessed with peace and joy, the more we tear away at our hearts to find more space to cram His love in. We aren’t sure we have enough and worry we won’t be able to take it easy.
Even if we don’t feel rich, we are affluent if we know Jesus. Click To TweetThrough Christ, we:
- Receive the incomparable riches of His grace (Eph 2:7)
- Are strengthened with the glorious riches of the Spirit (Eph 3:16)
- Get paid in humility leading to long life and honor (Prov 22:4)
- Have access to the everlasting throne and God himself (Heb 4:16)
- Can have the full riches of understanding (Col 1:27; 2:2)
- Find our needs completely met by the riches of His glory (Phil 4:19)
Though rich in Christ, we still count our costs as if He isn’t also our security. We weigh out our patience and grace like the supply is limited. Every ounce we give to another is measured to ensure we have enough saved up to enjoy for ourselves.
We store up God’s fruit for ourselves but are not rich towards Him- but what He yields in us is for His using! The stores in our hearts are filled to overflow on purpose.
There’s no need to fear scarcity and no wisdom in hoarding- our abundance in Christ is more than excessive- it’s endless. We can steward and share His goodness freely.
Do you recognize your riches in Christ? Does your heart pour His abundance on others?
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Bethany,
Maybe it’s the hoarder in many of us, but we think we have to store up because God may not provide. May we not be tricked into, yet, another one of the enemy’s schemes and be generous with all – knowing that God loves a cheerful giver and will provide. We just need to trust and be wise.
Blessings,
Bev
Bev, amen! May we not be tricked. I think you’re right- we do have a tendency to hoard!
I really loved the insight ,Bethany! The parallel study between Joseph and the fool.
I pray we continue to gather for eternity and NOT store the perishable .
Glad to link up here and be part of God’s abundant Word.
Blessing to the both of you.
I was so excited when I noticed the parallel, Diana! Glad you’re here and sharing in His Word. Blessings to you too!
Loved the post, Bethany. I don’t know how often I need to be reminded that God’s blessing, His grace, and His providence will not run out. We are so quick to forget. Also thanks for the link-up tip!
I forget constantly, too, Kate! So glad to see you here : )
Bethany, this is a brilliant comparison/contrast!
And you already know that I love bumping into your written wisdom wherever I find it!
Blessings to you, my friend.
It excited me so much to notice this comparison/contrast too, Michele! Thankful for you and your encouragement, friend!
Wonderful post Bethany! Your beautiful words shine light on the riches we have in Christ. Thank you!
Thank you, Joy! What riches we have in Him indeed!
Great to see your post here, Bethany! I had never thought of the contrast between those 2 stories before. Such a good reminder of the riches we have in Christ!
Great to see you here, too, Lesley! I hadn’t seen it until recently either : ) Thankful for our riches in Christ!
Great lesson here Bethany and thanks Pat for bringing it to us! Love Bethany!! We are truly rich in Him daily and sharing that richness brings others into His love. May we all be so generous today and every day!
Aw, thank you Jill!! Amen!