I have never asked God for a million dollars, but I have asked him to supply my daily needs and even a few of my wants. I have come to understand that our Father is a good dad who likes to take care of His kids. I think Jesus made that clear in Matthew 5:7-11 when He said:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” |
This past Sunday I had the privilege of participating in building dedication service at the Newberrytown Church of God (Eastern Region). It was a wonderful service that bore witness to how our God is a good Father who is able to take care of His kids.
In February 2015, the congregation at Newberrytown learned that their 157 year-old building was unsafe. Some estimates suggested taking the church building down to the ground and rebuilding it from the ground up. The congregation decided to sell that property and relocated to another property that the congregation owned just outside of town. This new property had a one story ranch house with a full basement and that building would serve as the temporary home to the congregation as they hoped to build a new building on that property.
As our brothers and sisters at Newberrytown began to explore the prospect of building a new facility, it became clear that the costs would far exceed the resources they currently had. It also became clear that it would take years for a small congregation to save the funds needed for the construction of a new facility. Pastor Jonathan Bowers shared that the congregation began praying that God would provide the funds necessary to construct a new facility. During this time, the congregation gathered for weekly worship in the basement of the house located on the property.
Just for the record, I don’t think our brothers and sisters at Newberrytown were asking God for a million dollars, but I do believe they were asking God to provide the resources for a facility that would allow them to serve their community for years to come. God provided in the most interesting manner with a couple of significant gifts. The first came in the unsolicited gift of $100,000 from a community member with no connection to the congregation. The second came in another unsolicited gift of $1,000,000 from another community member with no present connection to the congregation. When all was said and done, God provided $1,100,000 dollars from outside the congregation.
I can tell you that it was an amazing day last Sunday at Newberrytown to hear the story retold and celebrate how God has provided for our brothers and sisters there. What’s more, I think it scratches the surface of what God is able and willing to do in and through our brothers and sisters at Newberrytown. There was a sense of anticipation that God will continue to surprise, provide and open doors to demonstrate and proclaim His Good News to the community there and beyond.
So while all of us may rightly feel some unease about asking God for a million dollars, perhaps we’ve failed to take our needs to our Father and failed to ask Him to provide for us in ways in which only He can provide. Perhaps there are ways in which the Father is prepared to act on our behalf and we just haven’t asked Him to provide. For some it may be resources for things like facilities. For others it may be resources for a new ministry, a daughter congregation or a tangible way to bless your neighbors or community. For others it may be a need for physical healing or relational reconciliation.
Are you lacking something that keeps you from fulfilling your kingdom potential? Is there an obstacle that seems insurmountable? Is there something that seems beyond your reach or capabilities and yet you can’t shake the feeling that the Lord wants you to respond? Perhaps the Lord is giving you the opportunity to see how He can provide to accomplish His purposes, whether you see a way possible or not.
I’m grateful for the way in which our gracious Lord has provided for our brothers and sisters in Newberrytown and honored that I got to be a small part of their celebration last week. I’m also more and more aware that our God is able to provide everything necessary to advance His kingdom agenda and that we need to be more ready to ask Him to do what He can only do.
What do you need to ask the Father for today?
Christ’s Peace,
Lance