Proverbs 1

Proverbs 1:32 "...the prosperity of fools shall destroy them."

I believe that it was one of my favorite radio preachers, David Jeremiah, that said that a lot of people in his ministry had survived the test of poverty. They went through a season of need and their faith was strengthened. On the other hand, he knew of only a handful of people who had survived the test of prosperity. Many had fallen away from the faith as a result of their blessings.

What is it about being blessed by God that makes us forget about God?

It happened to the Israelites. Read the Old Testament. Its a common theme. They cry out to God in their desperation, he delvers them, and then he abundantly blesses them. You hardly get to the next generation before God is a long forgotten afterthought. The cycle starts over. Desperation, deliverance, abandonment.

Our family has been through a season of not having much. We depended on God to provide when the budget did not work out on paper. He always provided our needs - often times in amazingly miraculous ways. I think that it is the pleasure of God to answer our very specific prayers. At that time we knew exactly what to pray for. We needed food, clothes, automobiles, or baby things. We prayed and God provided to us through his children.

Now we are in a season in which our budget is just a little bit bigger than our basic needs. I guess that is one definition of prosperity. Now its not quite as clear what exactly it is that we need to pray for.

I can see how it may be easy to forget to pray every once in a while when the belly is full, the barn is full of wheat (we got a doomsday supply when the prices started going up), and everyone is healthy. Somehow that ole wicked heart of ours tries to convince us that our blessings are a result of our own hands. We finally have it together (we think). "I can take it from here God" says the fool...right before he is destroyed.

But my God is wise. He keeps giving me things to pray about. He gave me a very uncertain job with no prospects for the future unless my performance was stellar. I prayed for stellar performance.

My performance was less than stellar - back on our knees - a cry for mercy (who wants justice at a time like this?). We get a contract extension - mercy granted. God gets the credit, not me.

I got an email today. More uncertainty about the future. Due to budget cuts we might need to find a place to land in 9 months (am I one of the "non-essential?" I don't know). Back on my knees. Pray for "essentialness."

I think I know how this is going to end. I will be found to be non-essential, but then God will either allow this job to continue or provide another opportunity. He never lets me steal His glory - or think for a minute that any good thing comes from my own efforts.

He has not let me forget how desperately I need Him. He has not let me forget how fragile and fleeting are the things of this world. He has not let me forget that it is He who provides our needs - not me.

I have prayed that having a little surplus at the end of the month would not cause me to "act the fool" and bring on God's destruction. God seems to be answering that prayer. You have to be careful what you pray for.