Lord, Ignite a fire in my heart for who You are and use it to guide me in everything I do today, especially in the smallest details. Amen.[1]
Rewards Are Promised Those Who Seek
A few weeks ago we found ourselves wandering through an antique mall in a small Oregon beach town. Lots of rooms, each one full of a wide variety of interesting things meant to capture an onlooker’s desire to buy. Nostalgic reminders of days gone by—and then there it was: the black ice bucket with the ship’s imprint on it for only $5. What a find! Soon a set of gorgeous Norwegian drinking glasses, decades old and in their original box, were also in my hands. At $6 each, these, too, were irresistible. Jerry, being the generous supportive husband he is, pulled out his wallet and paid the woman at the counter. A few minutes later we walked out the door with our new-found treasures.
Spontaneous Shopping Adventures
That day’s spontaneous shopping adventure illustrates how most of us, whether scraping by, or living with plenty, so often spend our money. We’re prone to be vulnerable impulsive people. Something catches our eye. Soon we own it and our wallets are all the lighter.
I’d prayed that morning, as I routinely do, but not about what to spend our money on that day. In the end the glasses proved to be a wonderful addition to our 5th wheel RV outings. They will be used and enjoyed for years to come. But the ice bucket was a total waste of money. After getting it home, and cleaning it up, I was shocked to find a four inch crack across the bottom of the bucket; something I hadn’t noticed while enamored by the look of the bucket. There’s no way to make it usable. I felt really bad over the $5 I’d wasted.
Rewards Come from Lessons Learned
Maybe there are lessons to learn. What might have been different had I brought God into those purchases? If I’d sought His will first, maybe I would have looked closer and seen the ice bucket was damaged. Praying might have made me aware of unplanned, spur-of-the-moment spending. At the very least, we’d be able to re-purpose the $5. And I learned a little more about myself and my lack of seeking God in the everyday mundane tasks. I certainly seek His guidance with the big stuff but not always with the smaller things.
Rewards Beyond Money Await
The Holy Spirit promises to prompt us in the right direction when we ask His counsel. If we do, rewards far beyond money await. There’s also peace of mind and much-needed contentment to enjoy.
A good perspective is to look at our money as on loan from God, and ourselves the stewards of His abundant blessings. In doing so we should feel compelled to seek His input.
God has no problem with us spending a portion of our earnings on pleasure, but how much? And no hammer will drop on our heads if we make financial boo-boos. But it might be best to consider Him first. Will we make financial decisions before or after seeking God’s will for our expenditures?
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14
[1]Prayer taken from Elevation Church, “The Power of Same” devotional, Day 15
