When the economy began its
downward turn several years ago, and every forecast and news report about the
housing market was dismal and depressing, people would ask us with grave
concern how we were doing. It was as if they were finally going to see the
other shoe drop on our still-flourishing custom home building business. The
doom they expected for our crazy adventure would finally catch up to us. But whether
we have a mere handful of houses going at one time or a dozen, whether the bank
account is fat or skinny, whether the news is good or bad, whether the rulers
of this age say it’s a good time or a bad time, we keep moving forward with our
eyes on Jesus and our hearts set on doing things His way – tithe, give, and do
the right thing, even when it’s really hard. In doing so, we have found that we
are not under the economy of this world.
“The world is Mine, and
all its fullness” (Psalm 50:12).
The Lord can do whatever He wants
with what is His, and it’s all His. As His children, we don’t have to worry
about how it will all work out. We don’t have to know every detail and secure
guarantees. We just have to trust the Lord to do what He says He’ll do when we
do what He tells us to do, including and especially with the money and
resources He’s given us. It is one of the hardest thing to let go of because of
the false security the world would have us believe it gives us. Money can’t be
our sense of security; here today, gone tomorrow. Especially with our current
economic, political, and cultural environment. The Lord is the only one who can
give and deliver on guarantees. He is the one who holds it all together for us.
He has done just that. With every downturn in the economy and housing market,
our business has remained steady and grown. He baffles bystanders and gives us
the opportunity to witness Jesus.
“He is before all
things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:17).
Nothing we’ve done has made sense
to the world. But it made sense to God, and He made it make sense to us. He’s
given us a perspective beyond what the eye can see:
“For we know that if our earthly house,
this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be
clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been
clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being
burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that
mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very
thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always
confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the
Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:1-7).
I want to clarify one thing as I
close our story: I am not promoting a prosperity gospel by which we give to get
or obey to receive. Our motive is not to manipulate God; it is to obey Him out
of our love for Him, and then we can rest our faith in His faithfulness to work
in us “to will and do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13), working all
things together for good “to those who love God, to those who are the called
according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). We believe firmly in the word of God
and in His principles. In His law of choice/consequence. God sets forth very
specific means for living. Laws, statutes, guidelines. He tells us what will
happen when we obey, and what will happen when we don’t. He’s very forthcoming
and never breaks a promise. Therefore, we can put our full confidence in Him to
deliver when we are obedient. The prosperity is His faithfulness. That’s God’s
word. It never returns void. I don’t believe for Cadillacs or jobs or things or
circumstances. I believe in the power of God to accomplish what He says He will
do in His word, according to His will, which I believe is good. All the time.
When we live from loving God, be ready:
“For
everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be
required;
and to whom much has been
committed,
of him they
will ask the more” (Luke 12:48).
I hope I haven’t overstayed my
welcome on our story! I pray God has used the testimony of His work in our
lives to encourage and strengthen you in a way only He could have known you
needed it.
As we each seek to be more wholly
His today, I pray the Lord will compel
us to obey out of our love for Jesus, that we may experience the wealth of His
word and His presence everywhere we go, in everything we do, becoming more
wholly His each step of the way.
Shauna Wallace
Holy His
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