Daily Lesson for February 15, 2018

Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Habakkuk chapter 3 verses 17 and 18:

17 Though the fig tree does not blossom,

   and no fruit is on the vines;

though the produce of the olive fails

   and the fields yield no food;

though the flock is cut off from the fold

   and there is no herd in the stalls, 

18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

   I will exult in the God of my salvation.

Perhaps the gravest threat to American Christianity now is the so-called “prosperity gospel”.  

The “name it and claim it”, “blab it and grab it” theology of prosperity gospel distorts the Bible, implicitly and explicitly assigns blame to the poor for their own circumstances, and falsely promises comfort, wealth, and ease to those who pray a certain way and especially give to a certain ministry. This, plus a number of prosperity peddlers are also promising an end to all manner of sickness through miracle cures in place of things like, oh, vaccinations.

It’s disturbing how far and how high reaching prosperity gospel preachers have now gained influence in America. Apparently we Americans will buy anything — or at least try.

The God of the Bible does not promise us health or wealth or prosperity of any kind. That is not a part of the deal. In fact, faithfulness sometimes makes life more difficult and demanding. There is a cost of discipleship and financial peace is not guaranteed in the end. 

This is Lent. Lent is our reminder that Jesus himself did not go without difficulty. He was faithful, yet his faithfulness took him not to the bank but into the wilderness. For the true test of faithful discipleship is not ones willingness to follow in and towards times of prosperity, but rather in and times of adversity.

Today the Prophet Habakkuk comes with a word of admonishment to those who would peddle prosperity to the people. The Prophet’s words are counter witness:

 Though the fig tree does not blossom,

   and no fruit is on the vines;

though the produce of the olive fails

   and the fields yield no food;

though the flock is cut off from the fold

   and there is no herd in the stalls, 

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

   I will exult in the God of my salvation.

We worship and we follow and we yield our lives to God right where we are today, even in times of want and without the promise of gaining anything else in the world — save our souls.