Today’s lenten devotional title caught my attention: “From Scarcity to Abundance.” The attention that was reeled in to read today’s deco was even more probed when I read a particular statement near the end of the devotional.
So often, if you are like me, we focus on what we do not have instead of what the Lord has already given to us. We look at problems (only 2 fish?) instead of seeing the Promise. No wonder the word scarcity sounds so much like scared, and the word abundance reminds us so much of dance!
Today’s devotional talks about how the disciples were skeptical that only 2 loaves of bread and 5 fish could feed all the people listening to Jesus that day, which traditionally we have been taught has been around 5,000 people. It’s reasonable to show some skepticism at a moment like this, but Jesus remains confident that the food amount will be sufficient. In the devotional the author asks a question that I will pass along to you to reflect on.
“Is your concern in life right now to have what you love or to love what you have?”
I confess that I too have had times where there were things that I wanted really really bad and would also think at times that I didn’t have much to be excited about, but I do have lots of things. Lately I’ve noticed that when a church member asks me how I am doing I have responded by saying: “Well, I woke up this morning breathing.”
Sometimes that can be interpreted as well, I am here and that’s about it, but that is not my point in saying that.
Each morning I wake up breathing with even the slightest amount of decent health, with a roof over my head, a car to drive at my disposal thats a great day! Some would say that I am in the top percentage of wealthiest people in the world. They would probably have a very solid argument with that point as well.
So, back to our original question.
“Is your concern in life right now to have what you love or to love what you have?”
Be thankful for what you have, because :
Some of the best things in life are not things.
-Author Unknown