posted
Our family has been trying to understand the dichotomy between God wanting us to "enjoy an abundance" and "feast in the presence of the Lord" versus living responsible lives of Christian concern in a lost and dying world, and also the paradox of tithing and "generous giving".
One of my children decided when she had a sum set aside as an offering to the Lord, from her labor , that she wanted our family to celebrate, in accord with Deuteronomy 14:23, which says, "And make a feast before the Lord your God, in the place which is to be marked ..."
So, she set it aside as a vacation/feast/blessing fund.
We have used it, both for a journey to spend time with Kingdom of God people, and today in an feast at a nearby lake, both of which we otherwise would not have done.
I can't tell you how loved I feel by just having a "splurge on the Lord's tab".
We live our lives in accord with "a warfare lifestyle" most of the time. We try to live simply, without waste, buy second hand, make things last, and so on.
I would never want to fall into the gluttonous, consumer lifestyle of most of my peers.
But having a short time of just blowing money on good food and drink, and blessing the kids with treats we never have, and doing it all "in the presence of the Lord" by simply giving special thanks.
posted
How wonderful Laurie Ann!!! My wife and I come from opposite ends of the spectrum on this. Her dad makes (and spends) a mint... he is always playing, and he is always in debt. My parents, on the other hand have no debt and spend "psychotically responsibly". We are trying to find the balance ourselves.
I need very little (I guess because I've been on the mission field three times). To me, stuff equals ties. I don't like being tied down anywhere. I'm fine in an old motor home living like a ragamuffin. My wife, on the other hand, like to have a house to call home. The truth is, nice things are, well... nice. (I really like our pool for example.)
My wife has stepped up to the let's-get-out-of-debt plate, and I am learning to relax a little. We just spent our "away time" as well, and had a really great weekend too... and I think The Lord was pleased! How's that for being a good steward!!!
I just realized that the same balance could be said of having a splurge of worship. Most of the time, we just plug away at simple obedience, read the Word, live out Jesus' commands.
Then, every once in a while you want to have a BIG WORSHIP SPLURGE. Hire the band, have the hot speaker in, rent a nice venue. Weekly, it is just a drag, and you can't really give it the "wow" power of that big event.
Something to ponder.
That's one of the IC conflicts - especially the emerging church and the mega-churches. They are trying to make EVERY WEEK a big wow. But we are sated. "Oh, no, not another great sermon... do I have to jump and shout again?" If I'm up on the platform, I can drum up the adrenaline rush, but if I'm in the pew week after week, I just cant'.
Is there a place for that kind of big worship service? Yes. Should it be every day? Maybe no.
Who wants to have a Thanksgiving Dinner every day? It would lose its specialness. It would be a drag. It would be exhausting. We'd all be fatter than we are.
In fact, I'm sure this is part of the obesity problem in America. People want every meal to be a gourmet delight. Historically, people have eaten plain fare most days, with the Sunday dinner and an occasionally community feast.
Today, people get sick of pot-lucks because they are such a drag for the cook, and such an expense, that we start cutting corners. "Macaroni Salad again! Yum!"
posted
No, no... I perfectly understand. When I went on the mission field the second time, I had gotten used to really having a wonderful time of fellowship with The Lord while doing the reading-my-Bible-for-thirty-minutes routine. His presence was just always there. The one morning, NOTHING. Then another.
I asked what was up. I got [this message if you will] that no one likes to get roses, or candy, or whatever all of the time. I was reading my Bible every day and expecting The Lord to show up because I was following a "formula." Well, He didn't like that. I then felt I was supposed to ask Him what He wanted. He was there all along, He was just waiting for me to catch up.
Chalk this up to another IC problem. Rigid format.
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![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
When I went on the mission field the second time, I had gotten used to really having a wonderful time of fellowship with The Lord while doing the reading-my-Bible-for-thirty-minutes routine. His presence was just always there. The one morning, NOTHING. Then another.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
