Those who trust in God are willing to make a contribution without really knowing what to expect. However, they can be sure that they will not be disappointed. Thoughts on our 2019 motto from District Apostle Rüdiger Krause (Northern and Eastern Germany).
In order to become rich in God we must bow under God’s will. However, this presupposes that we are willing to trust God and render a kind of advance service in order to allow us to recognise the wealth within Him.
The examples given by the Chief Apostle at the beginning of the year in connection with our annual motto speak to the point.
- Apostle Peter, an experienced fisherman, was willing to follow the advice of the Lord and go out once more and cast the nets again. He was prepared to put his own expertise aside and listen and follow the word of the Lord (Luke 5: 5).
- Also the poor widow who only had a little bit of oil left in her jar experienced the help of God thanks to her faith. Elisha asked her to go to her neighbours and borrow as many vessels from them as possible and then go home and shut herself in. Then she was to pour the oil from her jar into all the vessels. Although she only had a little bit of oil left, she was able to fill all the vessels, then sell the oil, and pay off her debts. This woman had to muster a great deal of faith (2 Kings 4: 1–6).
- The servants to whom the master had entrusted his possessions reacted in different ways. Two of them worked with what had been entrusted to them, one did not. We know how this story played out (Matthew 25: 14–29).
- The rich young man, whom the Lord had asked to sell all he had, was not prepared to make such a great advance contribution in order to follow the Lord Jesus (Matthew 19: 16–22).
Investments, or better still, contributions or advance payments are things we are familiar with from everyday life. I am specifically talking about professional life. Quite a few of us have to make investments professionally in the hope of making profits. Experience surely plays a central role here, although even this will not protect you from bad investments.
In the above examples, God urges the people involved—mostly through His servants—to first of all listen to Him and then to fulfil His will. Basically, He is testing them whether He can bless them. It is similar with us.
To be rich in Christ implies humility and submission to the will of God, and this does not only apply to the ministers. All of us must show that we are prepared to do so. The decisive element in this context is the love we have in our hearts for God and Jesus Christ, the bridegroom of our soul. Those who invest in something out of love will, in most cases, not derive any material gain from it. In spite of this, it is important to put our gifts and talents at the service of God’s work precisely out of love for God, for Jesus Christ, our brothers and sisters, and for our fellow human beings. Blessing will then be revealed in many ways: for those concerned, for the work of God, and not least, for ourselves and our loved ones.
Photo: Oliver Rütten