John Piper via The Loving Meaning of the Leftovers :: Desiring God.

Money. You worry about it, don’t you? It’s the end of the month, so most low-to-middle-class people (probably most of my readers) are thinking about it. It’s a concern that constantly reminds us of its necessity and spills into every area of our lives where we desire security.

Recently, I was reading the parable of the loaves and fish (is fishes really the plural of fish?), and as Rosanna and I discussed it, I came to a conclusion that my pastor just wrote about on his blog. Doesn’t it make you happy when you come to a conclusion yourself and then find out that someone you admire has done the same?

In Mark 8, Jesus and the disciples were on a boat with a single loaf of bread. This was a great cause of concern to the disciples. How could they all eat from such a meager source?

Now, Jesus had already fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fish (Mark 6:30-44), and seven loaves and a few little fish Jesus used to feed four thousand men (Mark 8:1-10). He reminded them of this, and they still didn’t understand.

Here is what Pastor John says, and if you want a quick version of my post, read his. :o)

Understand what? The leftovers.

The leftovers were for the servers. In fact the first time there were twelve servers and twelve basketfuls left over (Mark 6:43). The second time there seven basketfuls left over—the number of abundant completeness.

What didn’t they understand? That Jesus would take care of them. You can’t outgive Jesus. When you spend your life for others, your needs will be met.

Rosanna and I had just been discussing this passage recently, and I’d never seriously considered what the twelve basketfuls represented. I came to see that they were more than enough for each server, because of what happened at the onset of the miracle:

The disciples, upon seeing the crowd following them, said:

Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat. (Mark 8:36)

Jesus’ response:

But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” (Mark 8:37a)

You give them something to eat.

Just like ours would, their heads immediately go to things like cost and price and resources.

And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii [$33k-ish in today's money] worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”

Jesus told them to give what they had, and He multiplied it so much so that the needs of the eater were met, as well as the needs of the server.

In 2 Corinthians 9, money is described as seed, not a treasure to be held onto. It is to be sown in the lives of people that, each day, you have opportunity to give to.

And God will not leave you hanging. He will not allow Himself to be mocked by failing to provide your needs as you seek Him and His kingdom first by, among other things, giving your money away more and more rather than hoarding it all for your own private pleasures.

So be liberated from the tyranny of the mindset that the god of this world wants you to have, that money is your source of security, not your Heavenly Father who knows that you need food and clothing. Then, give your money as seed to those who are in need.

And then, expect a miracle. It’s really that simple.

God just proved Himself to me in a very real and tangible way. I have to share my rejoicing. He is a God who sees and who provides.

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. (Gal 6:7)

I always used to view this verse negatively. “Mocking God” in this verse would mean something like sowing to your own private wants and desires and expecting to reap benefits for yourself. God won’t tolerate being treated that way, and basically you get a payback of corruption.

The next verse begins with that sort of thought, but the rest of the paragraph also speaks of a way that God isn’t mocked.

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Gal 6:9-10)

You can also make a mockery out of God by growing weary in doing good and thinking that there is no benefit in obeying Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as you would love yourself.

You say to God, “You are not a rewarder of those who diligently seek You.”

Isn’t it interesting that two criticisms of what the Bible describes as “wicked” people have this viewpoint of Him:

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him? (Job 21:15)

This implies that the right view of God is that there is profit in praying to Him. Not unjust, sordid, poor-crushing gain, but true gain.

This was also the Israelites’ problems when they wanted to keep their money to themselves and not use it for His purposes. Their error is described in a similar way to the wicked that Job spoke of.

“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’” (Malachi 3:13-15)

Again, this implies that there is profit in serving Him, in repenting when you sin against Him, of being humble before Him.

So, one way to mock God is to think that there’s no profit in serving Him, that you miss out on resources you could spend on yourself. God doesn’t work that way; He is a rewarder of those who seek Him, and we should not lose heart or grow weary in doing good, but should rather look for every opportunity to do good in such a way that is motivated by the promise that God Himself — not the people we serve — will reward us.

There is gain in serving the Lord. I’ve seen it from His hands with my own eyes now, in a way I couldn’t speak to confidently before.

More, so much more to follow!