The following is an article about to be published in the local paper.
Money, money, money!
ABBA was wrong. Money, money, money is NOT very funny in the rich man’s world. Times are tough. We are experiencing a significant economic down turn.
One political leader has called current economic situation the ‘worst economic crisis since the Great Depression’. Economists have referred to this as a ‘Financial Tsunami’.
Wall Street has crashed, and then gone back up again. The stock-market has been acting like a roll-coaster. Billions of dollars were wiped out in one day, but recovered the next. As the Dow Jones Industrial Average has dipped, so have our emotions.
Whilst we in Australia may not feel the full effects for some time, we do notice some things. It is getting harder to save and harder to retire. People are talking about not taking an early retirement in order to ‘top up’ failing superannuation levels.
Worry About the Future
We worry about the future. We are worried about our superannuation. We are worried about dropping share prices and investment funds.
What will happen to the value of my home? Will I be able to afford my mortgage payments? Can I live off the aged pension?
These are real worries that we face. They cause us stress and anxiety.
Our political leaders say they have the situation under control. They assure us that they are working together to fix the situation. They assure us that our money is safe in the bank.
Money, money, money!
ABBA was wrong. Money, money, money is NOT very funny in the rich man’s world. Times are tough. We are experiencing a significant economic down turn.
One political leader has called current economic situation the ‘worst economic crisis since the Great Depression’. Economists have referred to this as a ‘Financial Tsunami’.
Wall Street has crashed, and then gone back up again. The stock-market has been acting like a roll-coaster. Billions of dollars were wiped out in one day, but recovered the next. As the Dow Jones Industrial Average has dipped, so have our emotions.
Whilst we in Australia may not feel the full effects for some time, we do notice some things. It is getting harder to save and harder to retire. People are talking about not taking an early retirement in order to ‘top up’ failing superannuation levels.
Worry About the Future
We worry about the future. We are worried about our superannuation. We are worried about dropping share prices and investment funds.
What will happen to the value of my home? Will I be able to afford my mortgage payments? Can I live off the aged pension?
These are real worries that we face. They cause us stress and anxiety.
Our political leaders say they have the situation under control. They assure us that they are working together to fix the situation. They assure us that our money is safe in the bank.
But although our political leaders are working hard to reassure us, it’s easy for us to fear the worst.
Perhaps we paint a worst case scenario of living in a cardboard box in a public park somewhere, relying upon food from soup kitchens. At best we might be able to crash in a friend’s garage.
Things like this can cause us to think of deeper things than money.
The Uncertainty of Wall Street
God warns us not to put our hope in riches.
The Bible cautions us not to put our hope in wealth, which is uncertain, but to put our hope in God. (I Timothy chapter 6, verse 17).
We have seen firsthand how unstable wealth can be. The Stock market crash, inflation, a burglary or the current financial crisis are painful reminders of the shakiness of wealth.
It is a foolish thing to stake all our hopes on money. Confidence in securities and futures will lead to an insecure future!!! When we put our hope in money, we get ripped off because of its uncertainty.
The Certainty of Hope in God
Instead of relying upon money, the Bible says to put our hope in God, ‘who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment’ (again, from I Timothy chapter 6, verse 17).
Put your hope in God. He is unchangeable and certain. The promises that He makes to us are unshakable. God sent His Son Jesus so we can have a secure future.
Jesus doesn’t offer to pay off my home loan, top up my failing superannuation, or restore the economy. Jesus offers us something far, far greater than what money can buy.
Jesus offers us the security of riches that will last forever. These riches are to be enjoyed in the Kingdom of Heaven. By dying for us and paying the price for our ignorance of God, Jesus has secured a home for us in Heaven.
The current economic crisis is a wake-up call for us. It alerts us to the fact that riches will ultimately fail. Trusting in money is uncertain. That is why the Bible urges us to hope in God, not in money. Only God can give us the certain future that we need. Only He can offer us the life that is truly life.
This is a time to speak to God in our hour of need and to ask Him to help us trust Him. For when we put our hope in God, the future is secure. Hope in anything else will fail!
