Thankful for God’s Provision

“My folks instilled in me a strong work ethic. I’m honest and I’ve worked hard all my life. I’ve been frugal, so I have a sizeable nest egg.” Many Americans can say the same thing. But an important feature is missing. There’s no mention of God’s help.

Long ago the LORD had warned people whom He had delivered from slavery that they would be tempted to forget that He was their provider. “When the LORD your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” (Deuteronomy 6:10–12)

God knows human nature. He knows that we often take credit and conclude, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me. But remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your forefathers, as it is today. If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.” (Deuteronomy 8:17-19)

I wonder if that will be the legacy of our country. Smart people, creative people, take credit for their advances without any acknowledgment of God’s help. You certainly don’t hear any reference to God’s assistance when the news covers some of these advancements. It seems that the only time He gets mentioned is when He gets blamed for a catastrophic event.

Did the people heed God’s warnings? Not very often, so we need to be careful that we don’t fall into the same trap. There seems to be an allure to wealth and power. Not all fall for it, but the vast majority chase after the elusive buck. “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” (Proverbs 23:5)

King Solomon, who wrote that proverb, wasn’t against being wealthy. The guy knew what it was to be rich. “The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents [about 25 tons].” (1 Kings 10:14) He also saw how fast it could be spent. His daily grocery expenses were “thirty cors of fine flour and sixty cors of meal, ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks and choice fowl.” (1 Kings 4:22–23) In addition, he paid for the shopping sprees of 700 wives and 300 mistresses.

God wasn’t telling people not to accumulate wealth. The warning is not about being rich. We are to be careful that we don’t start taking credit for our successes instead of attributing them to God’s grace and power.

The same is true regarding salvation. It has been made available because of the work of Another, the Lord Jesus. I can take absolutely no credit for it. The way to Heaven has NOTHING to do with my good deeds or “the strength of my hands.” As in everything else I enjoy, it is all by the grace of God. If I forget that, I’m on shaky ground.