[Be sure to check out this week's broadcast of "Truth That Transforms" (formerly The Coral Ridge Hour) today (5 pm, ch. 55.1, Orlando) Also, check out the ediotrial cartoons at www.Worldmag.com]
Panic. Worry. Anger. Fear. Regret(should I have bought gold when it was way cheaper?). Or maybe "It's been lovely but I have to scream now." I'm sure that you can add a few words [I hope no expletives (: ] to that list that describes my emotions when the stock market tanked day after day this past week, giving the sensation of riding a roller coster. As a Christian, we do in our gut trust God but there are times when we want to scream,"Hey, did you really have to let that happen?!"
Well, over 30 years ago, I had something happen to me that might be instructive as well as encouraging for you. Being in full-time ministry, I was then going on a community college daily to meet with students and to share Christ with those with whom God gave me opportunity One day, I decided to take my camera to campus to take some pictures and carried it in my hands so that I would remember to use it. Toward the end of the day, I stopped by to talk with a student who was sitting on a bench. I somewhat remember placing the camera on the bench on my right and turned to my left to engage in conversation. After awhile, the conversation ended and I got up to walk off campus with the guy. When that walk ended up at the school parking lot, I just went to my car and went on home.
Shortly after walking through the front door, I suddenly looked at my hand and realized I was not carrying my camera. I immediately realized that I had left it on that bench back at the school. In a panic, I jumped in my car and sped to the campus and ran to that bench, but the camera was gone. After berating myself for being so careless, I suddenly had the thought of going to the administration office to see if someone might have found it and turned it in. When I explained what had happened, not only was I told no one had done that, but the woman actually broke out laughing, saying,"Do you really think that if someone found a camera they would turn it in? Of course, theyre just going to keep it." Suddenly, I not only felt stupid but felt humiliated and embarassed.By the I got home, I was really upset. After a few moments, I just sort of took a deep breah and said something like,"Okay Lord,I give up. I acknowledge that it was after all Your camera and so if you want to take it from me that's up to you." I remember opening my eyes then feeling a great peace and then started to do something else.
Just then, the phone rang and it was my Mom calling from many miles away at my parents' home. She immediately said, "Did you lose your camera?" to which I believe my jaw dropped open. When I asked her how she knew that, she said she just got a call from the school saying that someone had just turned in a camera with my name and old (their) phone number on it. I immediately drove back to the school and sure enough they had my camera. (Unfortunately, I don't recall being able to have it returned to me by that very office worker who had only an hour before laughed at me. Needless to say, that would have been so sweet!)
As I overflowed with thankfulness when I got back h0me, I sat for a moment to think about what had happened. I felt the Lord reminding me that I was merely a steward of my posessions and that in truth God is always the real owner. It was though God took the camera from me to check my understanding of that truth, and when I was finally willing to entrust it to him rather than get upset at "my" loss, He not only gave me His peace but He even returned the camera. I always recall that incident to remind me to hold on to my posessions - yes, especially my savings - loosely. After doing my best to care for the things I am steward over, I need to rest in however He sovereignly chooses to dispose of those posessions. As I once told someone who asked me if I was sure I had enough money saved up to live out my life, even if I lose every dime I am steward of, it just may be God's way of giving me the opportunity to minister to the homeless as one of them!
So, my friend, do your best to invest your money wisely - as God gives you wisdom - and then, when you experience economic uncertainty, scream first, but then remember to hold on to your posessions lightly, remember that you are but stewards of them, and entrust them to the care of God, who is the ultimate owner of all things, and leave the results to Him. As the Scripture teaches, "Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." (I Pet. 5:7)
(Postscript: It's similar to when i inherited a huge sum of money when my parents died. Someone at church said that I must be excited. I evidently shocked her when I paused and said, "No, I'm acatually afraid." when she incredulously asked me how that could be, I said, "Because I know the money all belongs to God and I'm responsible for how I spend every penny of it.")
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