Is God in Recession?

Good Plans?

In a world that faces terrible crises of different natures, can we speak of good plans by a God that presumably is still in charge? Yes we can! Scripture assures us that God is good and that He therefore has good plans for humanity despite the latter messing up things big time. A long time ago a Hebrew prophet spoke the following words on God's behalf.

For I know what I have planned for you,' says the LORD. 'I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.'

Jeremiah 29:11 (NET)

The circumstances around this statement are very interesting, for it was a time of great difficulty. God's people had lost their place in their land due to sin and their unwillingness to repent and turn to God; hence, they were deported after Jerusalem had been conquered and the Temple destroyed in 586 BCE - it was a tremendous tragedy in Israel's history, yet within it God still upheld His promises and brought them back from captivity to restoration. No matter how we fail, God always has His god plans in mind and seeks to fulfill them for us. Because God is good, His plans are good! So, let's ask the question then, Is God in Recession?

Is God in Recession?

The question proposed is, Is Almighty God, the Creator, the only self-sufficient Being, negatively affected by the current global financial crisis as many people are? Has God become limited in His ability to bless people and provide for them because money is more scarce than a year ago?

While hundreds of people are losing their jobs in Britain (and elsewhere) and many have their homes repossessed, some may start to wonder, Where is God in all this? While we can affirm that God is not in recession, He certainly is in the recession, that is, God is ever-present to care for people who trust Him despite external difficulties and the realities of life. He's a supernatural God who can provide despite recession and crises in our world.

The closest biblical parallel to a modern financial crisis is a time of famine. While people in East Africa are faced with a real famine - or one may think back to the potato famine in Ireland which took the lives of hundreds of thousands of people - Western Europeans today are not very familiar with the reality of a famine. Those who lived through WWII would tell us that there were food rations for several years in Britain after 1945. Yet today many are affected by a lack of money, and in a society where many live on credit, this is devastating. We should ask, What does the Bible have to say about these issues?

First of all, Scripture is clear that we should not be indebted to anyone (Romans 13:8). It is clear to everyone that a major reason for Britain's crisis is that credit was given out too easily and people lived far above their means. Again, Scripture instructs us to live modestly, that is, not beyond our means, to be content with what we have, and not to fall into the snare of seeking riches and wealth without limits - the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6). The Word of God (the Bible) always instructs us to live wisely, so it is certainly evident that to live within one's means is wise, especially in, but better yet before, a time of recession.

• The Famine in Joseph's Time (Genesis 41:1-31)
  

Joseph lived in Egypt, in fact, he was sold as a slave by his jealous brothers. One night the Pharaoh had a dream which neither he or his magicians could understand or interpret. He saw seven fat cows coming up from the Nile, followed by seven gaunt cows who ate them up. For Joseph the issue was clear: the seven fat cows represented seven good years of harvest, while the gaunt cows represented seven years of severe famine; a famine was coming, and in order to avoid certain death, the people had to store up in the good times for the bad times. This seems to be common sense, yet who could foresee a famine - or, in modern times, a recession? What this life-saving event tells us is that God has foresight and provision even in times of famine!

• A Famine in Roman Times (Acts 11:27-30)

In the Book of Acts we read of a famine during the reign of Claudius (mid-50s CE). Here we see how the believers, before the famine struck the Roman Empire, gathered means to care for the poor. God cares for people through others. It speaks of sharing our means within the church.

• The Reassuring Words of Jesus about God's Provision (Matthew 6:19-34)

Lastly, let us remember the powerful words of Jesus Himself when He spoke of God's provision for those who trust God and seek to understand and do His will. Since God cares for His Creation, He will certainly care for His children. Only bad, selfish fathers would spend all their money on their hobbies and none on the children. In Jesus Christ, God has given everything to humanity, His most precious, and with Jesus Christ He is giving us all things (Romans 8:32) - there is nothing God would withhold from us that is within His will!

Dear Reader, rest assured that God understands your situation, but better yet, has a good and practical solution to your problems. Ardingly Congregational Church will gladly assist you in her best possible ways if you need help or want to talk about God - or anything for that matter. While we are limited, God isn't, and He can do the things that are impossible with humans. God bless you as you trust Him for His generous provision!


Shalom,
Gordon & Family