Saturday, September 27, 2008

God's provision

My head knows that God provides. I've heard it a thousand times, I've seen it happen in the life of my family, but it hasn't really permeated my heart. My heart is so hard. 

But recently, I've been really worried about the economy and the future. The economy, obviously, is not in great shape, but I've really had to fight fear about what is going to happen. I'm looking at paying for college and getting a real job, and I'm scared. I know God provides, but somehow, that wasn't calming my heart. 

But God hit me with this today. He brought peace to my heart, and maybe I'm starting to understand with my heart, hear Him with real ears. 

All the gospels have some story of Jesus calling the two sets of fisherman brothers, Peter and Andrew, James and John. But Luke 5 tells a story that I didn't really remember. 

Jesus gets into Peter's boat to teach the people. When He's done, He tells Peter to go and catch fish. Peter explains they tried and caught nothing the whole night, but they would go because Jesus said. They drop the nets and they start breaking because there are so many fish. They call Zebedee and his sons to come help, but both boats start to sink because there are so many fish. They get to shore and left the boats, the fish, and everything and follow Jesus. 

Jesus called them to do a hard thing - to leave their jobs, source of income, families - and follow Him, become a disciple, have a new identity, become just like Him. But as He called them, He showed them He would provide. He would provide everything they needed. 

I'm privileged to know a guy named William Netherland. He's an amazing musician, but even more he's a deep thinker and follower of Christ. He said this:

Sometimes we think by serving God we'll have everything, but serving God is everything. If Jesus is who He says He is, if He is who the Prophets say He is, who the Apostles testified Him to be after His death, who cares [about having anything]? So what if I don't have ____? I have EVERYTHING! 

What if we lived like that? If we lived like Jesus intended for us to live, even if we lived like the Apostles lived -sinners though they were- we would change the world. 

I want to change the world.

No comments: