I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my limbs, my reason, and all my senses, and still preserves them; in addition thereto, clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and homestead, wife and children, fields, cattle, and all my goods; that He provides me richly and daily with all that I need to support this body and life, protects me from all danger, and guards me and preserves me from all evil; and all this out of pure, fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which I owe it to Him to thank, praise, serve,and obey Him. This is most certainly true.
Most of my readers recognize this as Luther's explanation of the First Article of the Apostle's creed. Although Lutheran's certainly neither preach nor teach a prosperity gospel, we certainly recognize that all of our needs are met by our Heavenly Father.
Monday, August 20, 2007
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2 comments:
I think that it is the difference between looking to God for all of our needs, and trusting God to supply them as we need (not want); and on the other hand expecting that God will give us "things" (money, health, etc) in proportion to our amount of faith.
Well said Pastor David.
I think of it as, whatever happens to me. God will get me through it. No matter what happens I can say "I'll live through it." Even if I die "I'll live through it."
If God gives us gifts according to our faith it is the greatest gift of all, a closer and stronger relationship with Christ. Not some car that will rust away. Not a plasma TV that will eventually break.
While I praise God for any gifts that I have in this world, I also know that those are only short term and temporary. My relationship with him is what lasts forever.
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