New Math
Applying God's Rules to Today's Economy
In today’s volatile economy, the future looks uncertain. For some, that’s scary and new; for others, that’s reality.
When the world’s “normal” way of living doesn’t work so well anymore, we’re forced to reconstruct our reality . . . or consider whether God has another reality for us.
God’s reality just doesn’t operate by the same rules. With Him, 2 plus 2 might not equal 4. It could equal 24 or 2,044. There’s a faith-multiplier in there that changes everything. Alex Rivero calls it “God’s Math” (read the full story).
Consider how King Samuel put it: “With Your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall” (2 Samuel 22:30).
Or look even further back, to Abraham. This biblical father believed in a God “who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were” (Romans 4:17).
Our God calls things that are dead as though they were alive; calls things deemed impossible as though they were possible; calls things considered scary as though they were an exciting adventure.
Will we get excited about a God who doesn’t live by the same-old, same-old math—a God who calls us to add a faith-multiplier to the mix and then move up and out, touching other’s lives rather than huddling protectively with our things, taking care of only our own?
In this issue, read about EFCA leaders who are taking practical steps to address their church families’ financial realities. All while reminding them of the exciting, dependence-upon-God way of living.
Still, a word of caution is in order. For many, our suffering in this recession will likely be temporary. Not so elsewhere around the world and in parts of our own country. As EFCA urban pastor Robert Turner noted about today’s economy versus the past, “I don’t see any difference, because recession is a permanent and unending way of life in the inner city.”
EFCA urban leader Ruth Arnold added, “Invariably, those in a higher economic bracket will have many more safety nets and networks to fall back on.”
Those comments should give us pause. Our suffering, whether great or small, whether due to the economy or any other crisis of life—should make us more sensitive to others. Let’s honor the stark realities that someone else might live under every day by faithfully walking with God in our everyday as well.
