What comes first, money or faith? For a Christian, it seems obvious to say faith. The scripture teaches us, provision follows faith. By faith the Israelites were sustained 40 years in the desert. Jesus teaches not to worry about our provision, but to seek first the kingdom of God. Jesus teaches us to pray “give us this day our daily bread”. God will supply our needs.  Is this how we live? Can we step out in faith, when the finances don’t add up? There are times when this is required.

In Mark 6:30-44, facing 5000 plus hungry people, how many would have been fed if Jesus only believed God for the food they could afford? The Disciples knew to feed this crowd would “take more than half a year’s wages”. They didn’t have that kind of money, which mattered to them because they didn’t have Jesus’ faith. Jesus asked them to step out with what they had, to learn God can do impossibly more than they believed. With just 5 loaves, 2 fish, they fed the crowd.

In 1870, George Mueller ran an orphanage in Bristol for hundreds of children. Over 66 years of ministry George and his wife depended on God for their daily needs, by pledging to never ask for donations, but to let God prompt people to give.

“The children are dressed and ready for school. But there is no food for them to eat,” the housemother of the orphanage informed George Mueller. George asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He thanked God for the food and waited. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. “Mr. Mueller,” he said, “last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in.”  Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.” [1]

It’s challenging isn’t it. To know what to do when financial responsibility is in tension with faithfulness. But the rule is this: faith first.

In Him,

Jason

[1] https://www.georgemuller.org/devotional/a-famous-story-about-mullers-faith