Just before Christmas, the house burned down. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ed and Nancy Huizenga adopted her best friend’s kids, two orphaned teenagers named Jeff and Katie. When their house burned, not only did Ed and Nancy lose their home but so did two kids who had just lost their mom. In an ironic twist, Jeff and Katie’s mom’s home had not been sold, yet. So the kids and the Huizenga’s moved back into their old house.
When all of life caves in, what then? Paul wrote to Timothy warning him not to put his trust in material possessions. In contrast with the popular prosperity gospel, godliness is not a way to get wealthy. Godliness with contentment is great gain, however. We didn’t have anything when we were born, and we take nothing with us when we die. Those who love money above all else risk exchanging it for their faith. This is the worst possible trade. Material possessions may be stolen by others.
When friends helped them sift through the ashes of their old home, the Huizenga’s found one small sign of God’s providence. Out of the ruins, friends plucked a small piece of paper which said, “Contentment: Realizing that God has already provided everything we need for present happiness.” These words sounded to the Huizengas like they had come from a burning bush.
The writer of Hebrews captured it in 13:5-6, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have. God has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ Therefore, we say with confidence that the Lord is with us. We will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to us?” No matter what we lose in this world, if God is our treasure, he has already provided all that we need for present happiness. He has given us himself and he will not take the gift back.
