How much money would it take for you to feel financially secure? Most of us have a number we think if we could just get to we would feel secure. We finally could stop worrying about money.
We have a number for our salary, a number for our savings, and a number for our retirement account that would let us rest easier.
But you would still worry. You know how I know? Chances are you make more than you’ve ever made and yet you’re still worried. The amount we need to feel secure keeps moving.
If you told your 18 year old self how much you make right now, what do you think their reaction would be? They would probably high-5 you and congratulate you on being rich! But we don’t feel rich, we feel fearful.
No matter how much we make we still worry about the future. We struggle believing God will take care of us.
A constant theme throughout Scripture is… “God will provide.” It’s always in unexpected ways. Whether it’s a ram caught in the thickets or using the lunch of a boy to feed 5,000, God always provides. Yet that’s a truth we quickly forget.
It sounds elementary to seasoned Christians, especially if we aren’t in a place where we need God to provide. But something so simple is so hard to believe when we need God to come through. We think God can’t. This one is too big for Him. This one is too impossible. This one will be the time God lets me down.
Psychologists tell us that the more we make the more fearful we get because we are afraid of losing it. It’s ironic, the very thing we think will give us peace is the thing that causes us to worry more!
We forget God promises to take care of us (Philippians 4:19).
One of the most unusual miracles in the New Testament revolves around God meeting a need. The miracle shows us that God has ways to provide for us that we don’t even know about. Ways we’ve never thought about, heard about, or experienced. Sometimes we can get so hung up on what God can or can’t do…what He will or won’t do…we forget the simple truth that God will provide.
The story starts out with a representative of the Jewish temple coming to Peter and asking him if Jesus pays his temple tax. The temple tax was to be paid by all Jewish men to support the upkeep of the temple building. It was a tax they paid once a year above and beyond their regular tithing. The temple was central to Jewish life. The representative is essentially asking if Jesus was a good Jew. Peter responds, “Yes, Jesus pays the tax.” Then Jesus asks Peter a question… “Who pays taxes? The king or the king’s people?” Jesus was teaching Peter a deeper truth, this was His house. He is the King, but the people weren’t ready for this truth yet and Jesus didn’t want to offend them so He tells Peter how to pay the tax.
Is that the craziest thing you’ve ever read? I’ve caught a few fish with some weird things in their mouth (like a plastic worm, another fish, and even part of a crayfish claw), but never money to pay my taxes.
Kind of makes you wonder how the coin got in the fish’s mouth? Maybe someone dropped it and the fish saw something shiny and tried to swallow it but it got stuck. Maybe Jesus was helping the fish out too?
Peter went and did what Jesus said. He didn’t hesitate. Maybe because he had seen Jesus do other things that didn’t quite make sense. Things like saying, “let down your nets” even though it was the wrong time of day, in the wrong place in the lake, and yet they catch so many fish the boats start sinking. I think Peter remembered the lesson we talked about last week… “Everything God has for you is on the other side of obedience.”
It’s interesting Jesus had Peter do something. Jesus didn’t make the money materialize out of thin air. He let Peter participate to grow his faith. Peter could have said, “This is so stupid, it will never work. Who has ever heard of a fish with a coin in its mouth?”
If I were Peter I would have had a few questions… “Where exactly do I need to fish? (The lake is pretty big.) How big of a pole do I need? How big of a hook do I need? What type of bait do I need? (It makes a difference if I’m fishing for perch, catfish, or a bass.)”
We can get hung up on all the details about God providing for us…
When exactly are you going to meet my needs?
How exactly are you going to do it?
Will it be an anonymous check?
Will it be a new job?
A promotion?
How are you going to take care of my needs?
Usually we have a part to play which grows our faith.
Imagine Peter’s friends see him fishing… “Whatcha doing Peter? Whatcha fishing for?” “You’re not sure? You’ll know it when you catch it? Aren’t you a professional fisherman?”
The doubts can grow while you wait on God to provide. “What’s the use? I’ve applied at a thousand places before.” “I’ve received rejection letter after rejection letter. It won’t make a difference.”
God has ways you’ve never seen or heard of. It might be from an anonymous source, a bonus, overtime hours, a new client, or a hundred other ways.
I’ve seen God provide for my family in all kinds of different ways. Sometimes it’s been money, but other times it’s been through the kindness of others. This spring we had snow leak through the vent of our gas fireplace and it shorted out the electronics. It was a bit frightening to see sparks flying from under the fireplace! We called a friend of ours who has a chimney business to take a look. He knew what was wrong and personally paid another contractor to take care of it for us. He wouldn’t let us pay him. So incredible generous! It was a fish with a coin in its mouth.
This past year my daughter needed braces. If your child has ever had braces you know you can buy them a car for what it costs. We were wondering how we were going to pay for it. A particular orthodontist was recommended to us. My wife scheduled the consultation visit and when the doctor came in to go over everything he told her he would like to provide free braces for our kids! (We had never met him and he had never been to our church.) I don’t know about you but that sounds like a fish with a coin in its mouth.
Don’t get me wrong, people aren’t giving us free stuff wherever we go. Most things in life we have to plan, sacrifice, and save for. I think that is God’s primary way of providing for each of us.
But what I’m trying to say is that God honors His word. He will provide for your needs and He has lots of ways of doing that.
For example…
-A large client switches to your company. You didn’t have to work for this account. They just like the way you do business and wanted to work with you. Overnight your revenue doubles.
-Your terrific new hire is earning enough for you to hire 2 more people.
-Your material costs unexplainably decreased.
All of those things are a fish with a coin in its mouth.
The crazy thing is when we get a fish with a coin in its mouth we tend to think it was because we are such great fisherman. We landed this. We are so incredibly smart. What luck we have!
Can you imagine Peter saying, “Guys, look what I caught! Man I’m good! I’m the best fisherman in the world!”
Fish with coins in their mouths are not because you are lucky or smarter than anyone else. It’s because God is good and kind to provide for your needs.
When you get a fish with a coin in its mouth you should stop and thank God for His kindness to you. You should tell other people it’s God doing what He promised to do. It’s a great way for you to share your faith.
What are some fish with a coin in their mouth that God has provided for you? Maybe you’ve never recognized it as God before. Thank God for them right now!
Do you know that one of the reasons God blesses us is to be a blessing to others? The two examples I gave were people God blessed and they wanted to bless others.
If God has blessed you with a fish with a coin in its mouth, how can you be a blessing to someone else?
A friend of mine just had a baby and I asked him if he needed anything. He said they didn’t have a rocker. I appreciated his vulnerability. My wife and I had a rocker waiting on his front porch when they came home from the hospital. Why? Because God has blessed us.
Maybe today you are waiting on God to provide. Remember… God has ways you’ve never seen, heard, or imagined. He has resources you don’t know about or think possible. Trust me. Relax. God hasn’t forgotten you. He is growing your character while you wait. Keep moving forward.
