Carrie and I visited the Biltmore Estate yesterday. Wow! Those people were stupid rich. They had more stuff than they could keep up with. They had to have an army of staff to care for their property and home. It was amazing. The house is an architectural masterpiece. The land is gorgeous. We found a place down by Bass Pond and just basked in the glory of our God that made all of this. We marveled, though, at how those skilled workers took what God made or ordered it in such a beautiful way.
It is easy to come away from a place like that I think, "I want that!" I want that much stuff. I want a house with a yard like that. It is easy to think, "I could really raise some great kids in that kind of house and with that kind of wealth." (And sound like Jon and Kate, but that's for another day.)
The reality check came for me today during my time alone with God. I was reading Spurgeon and was reminded that God has already given His children all that we need. As a matter of fact, God has given us more than we've even put to good use. Think about it. God has given you gifts of His love and grace that you haven't even applied and experienced yet.
God has given us more than we know and all that we need to succeed in being the person He created us to be in Christ.
2 Corinthians 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
“When I stand before the throne
Dressed in beauty not my own;
When I see thee as thou art,
Love thee with unsinning heart;
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.”
C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening : Daily Readings, June 30 AM.
1 comment:
Another good word brother. I tend to think Laura and I have given up so much and are living with so little compared to what we used to "have". But rarely do I think of the gifts of love and grace that God has lavished on us. I am living with less of those out of my own free will. But that is not God's desire or plan. Live with love in abundance, grace overflowing... this should be the "riches" of my life. If I am poor in this it is my fault. God has overly blessed me with these.
Post a Comment