Coffee Stains: I’m Rich!
Author: David PorterI’m about to become rich—I think …
My email box has been besieged recently by emails announcing that I’m the beneficiary of millions of dollars. And from lots of different places. If memory serves me correctly there’s English lottery tickets that bingoed for me—though I don’t remember buying any lottery tickets and I haven’t been in England for several years, but why complain if they’re going to make me rich?
And listen to this recent email, “Your name appeared among the beneficiaries who will receive a part-payment of US$21.5 million and has been approved already for months. You are requested to get back to me for more direction and instruction on how to receive your fund.”
Isn’t that exciting?
I’ve also received several, at different times, that begin something like this, “Greetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus…” then they go on to tell me that this wonderful person wants to invest millions of dollars in my ministry.
I hardly know what to say. When I get all my prizes and gifts I’ll have enough money to buy Buckingham Palace from the Queen of England and live there with my wife and two chihuahuas. Actually I don’t have any chihuahuas but with all the money I’m going to have, I can buy them.
The only question I have is: how stupid do these people think that I am? From what I’ve been told, if you follow up on the email there is generally a little fee of some thousands of dollars to actually make all the transfers, etc. and as soon as you pay that you can have your millions.
Yeah, and the moon is made of green cheese. Actually, the person evaporates into the landscape with your money in his pocket (and a big smile on his face).
I suppose that if you send out several million of these things you’ll find someone naïve enough to play the game. Who wouldn’t like to be rich? I mean, just look at all the simple souls who regularly make contributions to their local lottery. They’re going to win that big jackpot! After all, they’ve got one chance in 650 million!
Solving our problems
Let’s get rich quickly and that will solve a good percentage of our problems. We think.
We may have a Christian version of this game. We serve a miracle-working God. “You honestly believe that David?” I honestly believe that, but miracles aren’t his normal way of meeting needs. He acts supernaturally for two reasons—because He loves us and wants to help us, and so that men will see His glory and seek Him.
But if miracles were everyday occurrences, they wouldn’t be miracles; they would be normal. Miracles are to “tide us over” until God’s normal way of providing kicks in.
God nourished Israel with manna for 40 years in the desert but it was never meant to last. When they entered the place God promised them:
“The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan. (Josh. 5:11, 12, NIV)
Elijah did a miracle for the widow and her son. She had flour and oil that renewed itself constantly, all through the famine, but that only lasted until the rains came.
The nice thing about miraculous provision is that it helps us to glimpse God in a deeper way. I think it also helps us appreciate his daily provision that comes regularly in ways which seem so natural, but are nonetheless from Him.
It was be nice if someone dropped 20 million dollars on us, but you know what? God’s going to provide for us, whether it’s a miracle or in a way that seems natural, He loves His children so look to Him in confidence and He will meet your need.