Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)
In a culture of greed and reckless spending, each one of us must ask, “How much is enough?” A resounding answer comes directly from God’s own Word, “Whatever you have right now is enough.”
That’s right. Whatever we have at the moment shall be enough for us. Our hearts shall be at rest in this instant. Another car, a larger home, a stylish new outfit, one more of the latest electronic gadgets, a larger television screen, more expensive furniture – none of these things should increase our fulfillment one bit. The blessings in our possession at this moment should be enough to keep us content.
Why? How can we actually be satisfied, before we obtain something just a little better than what we have right now? This is how. This is why. God is with us and He will not walk away.
One way to know if I am in obedience to the first and greatest commandment as stated by Jesus in Matthew 22:37-38, is to ask myself if I am contented right now. Is there a joy in my heart and deepest satisfaction in my soul even though I do not currently possess things I might like to possess? Or is my mind often drifting to thoughts of what I could have? My mind should be focused on my Savior because He fills my heart so fully that joy overflows no matter the status of my list of material possessions.
God has commanded us to keep our character free from the love of money. He goes on to demand that we be content with what we have. But God does not ask this difficult thing of His people without informing us of the way to accomplish it. He says we ought to be satisfied with what we have because He will never leave us or forsake us.
As one great hymn proclaims, God is the fountain of all blessing. If I have God, I have everything that is possible for a human being to have. The One who made everything and owns everything is my Lord. He alone brings the joy that properly accompanies any blessing He gives. Even the wing of a butterfly or the petal of a flower or a beam of the sunlight can stir my heart with unspeakable joy and mystery. Just the bite of an apple or a gulp of cold water brings amazing satisfaction. The smile of a child or the hug of a friend is an experience never to be traded. I find I do not need more; I need Jesus to make what I have more than I could ever imagine.
Since God promises to never abandon me, I know that He will provide for me what is necessary in the next moment, next day, next year, or next decade. He is the Source of all existence, and He is the one responsible for His own children. If I am solely responsible to provide for myself, I know my devices and best efforts can fail; and – even if they don’t – someday I will finally fail when this body gives out in death. But, if I trust my God, He can bring to pass anything in any instant while I traverse this world. And, when I go to the next world, my eternal God will provide everything there!
We need not be worried about what we do not have. In fact, we are commanded by God to protect our hearts from the love of money and discontentment. We are admonished, rather, to focus on God’s presence with us. Let us make a commitment to refuse to sin against our God by a discontented, greedy heart. Let us make a commitment to focus on Him and His faithfulness. For, He is the Provider.