CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 939

“Enough”

Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:7-9)

Our reference Scripture has been called a ‘scary prayer’. Why? Surely there is nothing scary about asking God to keep us from lying and poverty. Oh, but there is that ‘nor riches’ clause in the prayer. Therein lies the scary part. Not many of us are sincere in asking God to keep us from riches. Charles Spurgeon writes: “We cannot eat or drink or wear more than a day’s supply…the surplus gives us the care of storing it, and the anxiety of watching against a thief. One staff aids a traveler, but a bundle of staves is a heavy burden.” The challenging questions for each of us are: ‘How much is enough?’ and ‘Have I learned to be content?’

…I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13)

God’s Word not only exhorts us to be content, but also to be generous in giving. …give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38)

We need to steer clear of the prosperity doctrine that appeals to our greed: ‘Give big in order to get big.’ Please understand that God is not in the mega millions lottery business. So with what size cup should we measure out our giving? Does this giving include our tithe to the local church? How much is enough to give? These are all good questions. However, consider this: God is not at all concerned about your giving. He is more concerned about your keeping which is an indicator of where your heart is. We cannot buy God’s favor and blessing. The better question we need to answer is ‘How much of the Lord’s provision for me should I keep?’

The bottom line is that giving and contentment with enough are matters of the heart, not legalistic rules of measure and apportionment. The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

Does the Proverbs 30 prayer scare you? Where is your heart? Look at where your treasure is and you will find it. Are you and can you be content with the enough that God provides?

The size of the cup to define is the size of our keeping. There is no one size fits all. There is no standard, mandated size by law. The size of our keeping is between us and God. The rest is called ‘giving’ as we, as faithful stewards, administer what belongs to God to those in need.

May we learn as Paul learned how to be content with the enough of the Lord. May the Holy Spirit regenerate our hearts to be free from greed and covetous discontentment and to be faithful and cheerful stewards of the Lord’s provision entrusted to us for others.