Testing, Testing

 

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17: 7-8

I think it’s a test! I was never very good at academic tests but this one is different, this is a faith test. The good news is that these days when I’m tested I have a Teacher with me – not just with me but living in me. Many Christians are facing the exact same test right now. Who or what do we trust?

When my husband and I look back at how the Lord brought us together as unbelievers and then saved us both in a short period of time we’re amazed by His grace to us. We think of our children who spent the first several years of their lives with unsaved parents and how God has poured out His grace to them and we’re astounded at His goodness. Often my husband has thanked God for the abundance of riches He has blessed us with. We see His faithfulness in providing for us spiritual and physical food and we’re reminded of the truth of His sufficiency for all we need.

Ah, but now, now, with the rest of our nation, we’re facing an uncertain future. The financial crisis is a little closer to home. We’re seeing that it may hit us very directly in that the company my husband works for is having to stretch every dollar. It makes us start to wonder. How expendable is his job? How far can a dollar stretch?

I have not worked outside the home in a paying job for about 13 years. This has been a delight to both my husband and me as I’ve been free to be in volunteer ministry, to serve my family, the Lord and the church as He has called me. Should I now forgo these ministries to work for pay? I am asking God to clearly direct me.

If God takes my husband’s income will we be living, breathing, walking, talking, examples of what it means to trust in the Lord? Do we really believe that He is sufficient for all our needs and will provide what we need as far as work and finances are concerned?

When we look at the verses from Jeremiah 17 we see that the blessing comes not just from trusting in the Lord but from the Lord’s being our trust. When difficult times come our hope is to abide in the character and constancy of God. This makes it possible to live like trees planted by the water that do not need to fear the heat because they are prepared and well watered by their proximity to the Stream. They have been well fed so that even in the heat they can provide the shade for others and know that they will not be anxious in the drought. Why? Because they have resources to draw on.

The real question for me is what have I allowed to pollute my stream? My stream has Living Water but have I allowed money or stuff or comfort to pollute it? Do I trust that God will provide for me in any need that I have regardless of whether or not our income stays the same? Already we’ve seen clear indicators that He will provide for us in the future because of His faithful provision for us in the past.

When we’re concentrating, our desire is to glorify God in our lives. We have been trusting His Stream, the Living Water that flows through us, to keep us in His service and will. The test of the strength of this trust (and our concentration) is coming rapidly. As Christians, will we stay close enough to the Stream to continue to bear fruit through whatever financial heat or drought comes our way?