Wednesday, January 14, 2004
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Wednesday, January 14, 2004 |
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More affluence ... less faith? By JOHN HATCHER Because some religious people are put off with a brand of “name it and claim” faith, many carry a prejudice against such, refusing even to investigate Biblical stories of great faith. Such a story lies hidden in Genesis 30. After the Patriarch Jacob had two wives, Leah and Rachel, and after the birth of many children, he asserts to his uncle and father-in-law that it was time for him to make some money and strike out on his own. Jacob develops a strategy by which Uncle Laban agreed to give Jacob all stripped and spotted goats and all black lambs that were born into Laban’s herd. To give the herd a little help, Jacob places before mating goats and sheep light and dark strips of tree bark Jacob’s thinking was that by the herd looking at the striped and spotted tree bark while mating, the offspring would be similar. Long story short: that’s exactly what happened. The goats and lambs that mated by looking at the contrasting colors of tree bark produced spotted and speckled offspring that Jacob kept as his own. As a result, the Bible says Jacob became exceedingly prosperous and had large flocks (Genesis 30: 43). However, we find out by reading the next chapter that what produced the spotted and speckled offspring was not the colored tree bark, but Jacob’s faith in God’s ability to alter the genes. God directed Jacob first to see in his mind’s eye the kind of herd he wanted. As Jacob believed, so it was. This is a tremendous story of faith. I encourage you to read the entire account in Genesis 30 and 31. Genuine faith has great power to accomplish. Mind you, no money exchanged hands. Just faith. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11 that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. The word “things” intrigues me. That’s what you are hoping for and struggling for: things. You want the thing of your marriage to get healed. You want the thing of your finances to be strengthened in your home. You want and need some things to happen. You may even need the thing called an automobile. You may need groceries. Yet, your resources are limited. That’s the wonderful nature of faith: it costs nothing and yet can deliver everything. Yet, what generally happens is this: the more “things” you own and acquire, the less faith you have. The more assets you have, the less you need to depend upon God and therefore the less you exercise your faith. Am I right? The more affluent you are, it seems, the more you rely on professional help than spiritual help. What would happen if a great portion of the better-off in our community would begin to seek God in prayer for that which they can derive no professional help? There’s no doctor or lawyer to whom we can turn for revival in our country. No political party promises or can deliver a heightened sense of spirituality in the land. Only God and only God’s people asking in faith. Maybe your need is not the next meal or for a medical remedy. Maybe you can afford just about anything you need. Why not invest your faith and prayer in those areas money cannot solve and money cannot influence? Surely in an affluent community such as Fayette, our rich and well-to-do can find worthy needs to appeal to a Mighty God. I just can’t believe our prayers should be limited to “bless me and my four and no more, and oh yes, get junior accepted in the Ivy League school.” People of affluence can also be people of great faith! John Hatcher is pastor of Outreach International Center, 1091 South Jeff Davis Drive, Fayetteville, Georgia 30215. 770-719-0303
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