A New Year - Jubilee?

Hello Friends!

Happy New Year! Can you believe we are 3 weeks into 2009?!

Most have us have probably been keeping up with the news and realize that the word “recession” is what is being used to describe our current economic situation. We’ve all seen the “for sale” signs on homes. We all have heard of, or experienced, a recent job loss. And there’s not much talk of an up swing in the near future. I guess this isn’t much reason to look forward to the new year. And we’ve all probably wondered if it will actually be “happy” at all!

In times like these the natural thing to do is simply hunker down and survive. It’s simple dollars & cents preservation. However I keep thinking, what would Jesus do in a recession? Would he just weather the storm or would he be even more radical? Would he give more? Would he share more of his food, his life, his time, his energy? Would he feed more hungry people? Would he heal more sick people? I somehow think Jesus was The Great Revolutionist and would move in the opposite spirit of the times. After all when everybody wanted him to be a military hero and liberate a nation, he instead hung out with little unknown nobody’s – the under belly of Jewish culture – beyond simple prostitutes and cheaters, but also a known terrorist (Simon, the Zealot). The upper crust wasn’t exactly in his entourage. He was just a carpenter. Probably scruffy and bearded (sort of like me at the moment). He didn’t really seem to come off as the guy trying to get his hands on the levers of power.

So it stands to reason, that in a time when the instinct is to fortify our lives and survive this time of perceived lack I would venture to say that Jesus would be even more generous! Over and over thru the story of God and his people, the most opposite solution seemed to win.

So here’s what I propose - my new years resolution of sorts - to be more generous that ever before. And I would love you to hold me to it. Not just with my time or energy, but with everything – yes, even money. We all need to trust God, whether we raise our own finances or we have a steady paycheck.

Yes, it’s scary. But we serve a generous God. So, do we have a deal?

Much Love,
Dave