Calling God Stingy

"You have said, `It is vain to serve God. What is the good of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? Henceforth we deem the arrogant blessed; evildoers not only prosper but when they put God to the test they escape.'" Malachi 3:14-15

Their experience with pain caused Israel to build a case against God: "Where is the profit in serving God? Our lack of prosperity is an indication that God is parsimonious." In this they take the problem with pain beyond the question that both Job and Psalm 73 raise. For example, Job was prosperous and lost it, and his friends accused him of sin. In the days of Malachi, the people never experienced prosperity and blame God for withholding His blessing. To question why God's people suffer is different from accusing God of being stingy and unloving. When you ascribe to God anything but good you are but a short step from calling Him evil. Job did not understand why God afflicted him, but Job did not deny the goodness of God or ascribe to Him evil.

God owes you nothing. He has promised you salvation through His Son, but that does not include temporal prosperity. If you are angry or bitter that your standard of living does not meet your expectations, in the final analysis, you blame God who says, "I put down one and set up another." [436] God is both good and generous. He may not give you what you want, but not because He is stingy. If you do not understand His ways, tell Him, but never accuse Him of being parsimonious.

Devotional series taken from the book, "Thoughts from the Diary of a Desperate Man"
by Walter A Henrichsen.

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Hm... tonight when i was taking my statistics final, I came to realize that I know NOTHING about statistics. I was literally looking into the equation sheet and making up answers. But still, I have to give thanks to Him for showing me how lazy I've been and how much more  I could have done before the exam. I have to thank Him for giving me free yummy newcomb breakfast food after exam and cheering me up by letting me see snow, even it's just for a little while. I can't help but smile when I see the snow falling down =). Thank you for Your awesomeness

keep being broken.



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