But at church last night I was reminded (they talked about their Christmas Angels program) that there are families out there with children who have struggle similar to my own children’s struggles.  They don’t have homes to live in, they don’t have bells and whistles, they may not be able to afford basic things like shoes, they may not have family to help them.

So, I adopted a little girl with nothing, except autism.

I am not sure how things will work out, but sometimes the tug of God is so strong on my heart to help people.  I can’t imagine parenting a child with autism alone, and living below the poverty line (we’re close, but not that close).  We have family who helps us (we have a beautiful, safe, clean place to live – thanks mom!), and cars that get us where we need to go; I have a job and my husband sort of has a job – sometimes; our children are healthy and happy and safe.  We’re not hungry or unable to buy the basic necessities like clothes for the boys or toothpaste.  We may not have much, but we are still blessed.

It’s hard to remember that sometimes because I get freaked out looking at our bank account and trying to figure out how all the bills will get paid.  It’s especially scary since we have to pay our COBRA bill, multiple doctors and hospitals… and still figure out Christmas.  But, God has always been faithful in the past.  He’s always come through; He’s always provided and made it all work out.

Remember.

I cling to His promises and I remember His past reliability.  And, even though we’re in dire straights, I’ll also try and help someone less fortunate than I am.

Shalom.

Malachi 3:9-10

You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me.  Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!

This is the infamous verse that is always used when trying to get people to tithe.  It’s not necessarily a bad thing because this verse holds a great promise.  But if you read the verse before it (vs.10), it puts a little bit of a different spin on it.

Malachi is talking to the nation of Israel, collectively and individually.  I think that in this case, the majority of people had been cheating God by not tithing (they were supposed to bring a tithe of animals or whatever it was that they  raised or produced).  And so they were under a curse.  It makes me wonder if God still follows that kind of pattern today – can you imagine the curse that America would be under?

Our former pastor used to say that less than 10% of the members of the church actually tithe 10%!  If that few Christians tithe, imagine how many other people who don’t believe in God or the Bible don’t tithe (obviously)…  Even if the verse just applied to Christians (because we should know better, having read the Bible and probably having heard this verse a million times), 90% or more still don’t tithe back to God what is due to Him….  thereby creating a situation where, if God works the same with us as He did with Israel, our nation would be under a curse because we are cheating God…  Scary thought.

On a positive note, my family’s been testing God on this one.  We haven’t really seen the windows of heaven opened up, but God has consistently been faithful to provide for our needs each week.  Sure, I’d like to take it literally, that we’d be provided for in such a way as to have more than just our needs met.  But, then I’m reminded that the blessing of heaven is not necessarily monetary.  God doesn’t say He’ll throw money at us.  He says He’ll bless us.  And in that regard, I am blessed in so many ways – my family, my job, my car, my church.  So maybe it’s a matter off perspective.  I’d love to have enough money in the bank that I wasn’t afraid of overdrafting my account every time I paid a bill, but just because I don’t see that happening doesn’t mean that we’ll stop tithing.  God has been faithful in the past, and whether the blessing is financial or physical or spiritual He is faithful today, and I believe He’ll be faithful in the future.

So there’s my 10 cents on this often-preached on verse.

Ecclesiastes 1: 8

Everything is so weary and tiresome! No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

I was listening to the radio (Z88.3) and there was a clip by Joyce Meyer (I think).  I didn’t really catch what the clip was about, but one thing grabbed my attention.  She said that we should learn to be content with less instead of always trying to get more.  Of course, that hit my heart.  I so often find myself trying to make more or get more and throughout this struggle God’s continually impressing things on me….  most recently reminding me that I should learn to be content with what I have, with less, rather than struggling to try and do more to get more.  This isn’t the first time He’s reminded me of this, either.   It’s hard to remember, especially when things are uncertain and life’s expenses take their toll on the budget.  And especially around Christmas when it’s so easy to want to do more for people.

So, I am reminded.  No matter what prospects are on the distant horizon, I need to learn to be content where I am and with what I have.  God has blessed me with so much, and He has so faithfully provided for our needs, just like He promised.

Haggai 1:9

You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the LORD Almighty, while you are all busy building your own fine houses.

I read this and immediately thought about my life and finances.  We hoped for rich harvests, there were promises of great things to come, but they were poor and nothing came to pass.  What we were able to bring home flew right out again in children’s medical bills, car repairs and diapers (sooooo many diapers).  It seemed that we would never have enough to do more than just scrape by (thank goodness for the help and love of family, and for the grace and faithfulness of God’s provision).  This same thing happened with Israel.  Why?  According to this verse, it’s because God’s house lies in ruins.

A loooong time ago when this was written, God’s house was literally in ruins.  It had been destroyed by invaders.  The Israelites who had started to rebuild had rebuilt their homes, but not the Temple.  Today, most of us don’t have a physical temple building in ruins laying around our homes and neighborhoods.  But the principle still applies.  God’s home is our hearts.  Have we been so busy trying to build our homes, businesses, and families that we’ve neglected to care for God’s home?  Do we spend time with Him?  Do we talk with Him?  Do we allow Him to work in us?  Do we do good for others and love them?

I know that for a long time, I was so busy with life that I didn’t have time to spend with God.  It wasn’t that I never thought of Him or completely ignored Him, but finding some time to read God’s Word and pray in chunks of time was nearly impossible with two small children!   I neglected to build that relationship with God – I neglected to build His temple in me.  Maybe that’s part of why we’ve struggled so much these last few years.  It may not be all of it.  There’s probably a lot of good lessons in there, too, I’m sure.  But it could very well be a part of the problem.  There’s a reason this chunk of text made it into our version of the Bible…