Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:31-32.
“31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32.
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What if Abraham only “spiritualized” God’s promises to him? That is, what if Abraham only interpreted God’s promises as only having a spiritual fulfillment, namely that God only promises heaven? What if Abraham only believed that he would go to heaven some day and have spiritual children who would follow him to heaven, not really believing that he would have natural descendants? Would that be sufficient faith? Would that faith be credited to him as righteousness?
Too many Christians go through life, reserving their faith and joy, for only heaven. They only really believe that they are going to heaven. And, when someone points to Scripture to try to encourage them that God showers us with so many earthly blessings, then they may “knee-jerk react” by accusing that someone of preaching a prosperity gospel.
Well, yes, there are such preachers of prosperity gospels that should be refuted, but there is also truth that we need to heed about the existence of God’s promises that relate to life here on earth. We need to understand the importance of not spiritualizing every single promise of God.
Today’s Scripture encourages that God “freely gives us all things”. Are we really going to pause and meditate on that promise, or are we going to quickly shake it off as some prosperity gospel?
If God delivered His Son to us, and thus the most important eternal life, will not God give us lesser things, earthly things such as “wine which makes man’s heart glad, So that he may make his face glisten with oil, And food which sustains man’s heart”. Psalm 104:15?
When we consider God as the Creator and all the equisite and lavish beauty in his creation, is it any surprise that He deeply cares about earthly things in addition to heaven?
When we consider God as our Father, is it any surprise that He loves to give us, His children, good earthly things in addition to heaven?
Does the prosperity promised in Scripture only apply to spiritual prosperity? No.
Peace and children are two more examples of such prosperity. Psalm Chapter 127. There are so many more. Our “cup overflows”. Psalm Chapter 23.
Do all Christians have wine, food, peace, and children? No, but do you have some of these things?
You tell your own story as to what God has done for you. Let the other Christians tell their own story as to what God has done for them.
Psalm 34:8
“O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”
“O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”
Psalm 84:11
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
1 Timothy 6:17
‘Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”
‘Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.”
Psalm 16:11
“You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
“You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:7-11.
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6.
This faith that pleases God is not only a faith that someday we will go to heaven. A faith that pleases God includes a faith that God will somehow take care of us when our paycheck is not enough to cover our bills, but we still tithe and otherwise cheerfully give. A faith that pleases God is a faith that God will somehow take care of us when Christian school tuition is high, but we still send our children to a Christian school. A faith that pleases God is that God will somehow take care of us when we could work for more pay, but we still obey God’s calling to some work that pays much less than the other work. There are thousands of other examples of our need to walk by faith each day that God will somehow take care of all of our earthly needs.
In conclusion, check out the members of the Hall of Faith in Hebrews Chapter 11. Check out the rest of the Bible. Specific promises were made, often as to what would be done here on earth. Today’s Scripture does not entitle us to expect that we will get exactly what we desire and request. However, today’s Scripture should encourage us that God gladly and richly and freely gives us all things to enjoy in addition to the most important gift of heaven.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 