Editor’s Note: The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on small-town America will be very significant. The New York Times recently ran an article about coronavirus titled, “This is Going to Kill Small-Town America.” While the effects will be difficult and far-reaching, we also have far greater hope in Christ. In this STS Article, a small-town pastor speaks to the economic impact of the current pandemic and to God’s provision in times of scarcity.
We’re all feeling the crunch right now. We’re stuck together at home and the emotional tension is rising. In addition to that tension, a lot of us have a financial strain. Some have been laid off. Some are seeing savings being depleted day by day. While we’ve been promised a relief check, we’re not sure when that will be.
You’ve crunched the numbers. You know how many people you have to feed in your house. You still have to pay electricity and heating bills, not to mention new health bills. How are you going to make ends meet when the numbers don’t add up? I want to encourage you with God’s word today that when the numbers don’t add up, we can trust in God’s economy of provision.
In Genesis 12-15, Abram and his wife Sarai had no children. They couldn’t get pregnant. They crunched the numbers and in that economy, childlessness spelled the end of their family and their provision. But God’s economy operates differently. His provision wasn’t dependent on their ability to conceive. He promised Abram that his descendants would be as numerous as the dust of the earth and the stars in the heavens. And God provided a son, Isaac.
In Judges 6-8, Gideon was asked to lead the army of Israel against the Midianites. He crunched the numbers. They had an army of 135,000, and he had a measly 32,000. The numbers simply didn’t add up to victory. But God’s provision wasn’t dependent on how many soldiers Gideon had. To help Gideon trust in God’s economy, he told Gideon to whittle down his army to 300 soldiers. Three hundred against an army of 135,000! Think about those odds. And God provided the victory with only 300 men, plus some torches and pots.
In 1 Kings 18, Elijah was the only prophet left. He alone was left to defend himself against the wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. He did the math. One against 450 prophets of Baal, all assembled on Mount Carmel against Elijah. The numbers didn’t add up. But God’s provision wasn’t dependent on how many prophets of God were left. And God provided the fire and triumphed over the prophets of Baal.
In Luke 5, Peter and his fellow fishermen were done. They had fished all night and not caught a single thing. While washing their nets, Jesus asked if he could borrow their boat to teach the people (perhaps the lesson was really for Peter?). Afterwards Jesus said, “Push out into the deep water. Let down your nets for some fish.” Peter did the math. He knew where the fish were and when they came up to feed. He was a fisherman by trade and he knew the best fishing was at night. The amount of fish that he needed weren’t going to be there in the morning. The numbers just didn’t add up. But God’s provision isn’t dependent on the feeding habits and instinct of fish, nor on the capability of the fishermen. And Jesus the Son of God provided a catch so large the nets began to break!
In John 6, a huge crowd had followed Jesus and his disciples. Jesus asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?” Phillip did the math, literally. There were approximately 5,000 men. He figured that 200 denarii worth of bread wouldn’t be enough. That’s a working man’s entire yearly salary! The numbers didn’t add up. Phillip essentially said, “You would need more than what a man makes in a year to feed all these people.” But Jesus had asked this question to test Philip’s faith–and perhaps ours.
Does God provide when the numbers don’t add up? Does he? Did he provide for Abram when he had no hope of having kids? Did he provide for Gideon when the opposing army was too big? Did he provide for Elijah when he was the only prophet left? Yes, yes, and yes. Jesus the Son of God provided for the entire crowd of over 5,000 using only five barley loaves and two fish. Not only did they have enough, they had in abundance – 12 basketfuls leftover!
This is how God’s economy of provision works. Numbers and mathematics are subject to his will and word. Dollars and cents are tools at his disposal to move and manipulate. Probability and odds are laws he can bend or bypass.
In the spring of 2004, I founded a non-profit jail ministry. I resigned my youth pastor position and began to volunteer in the prisons and jails. My wife didn’t have a job and we were starting to dip into our savings. I crunched the numbers. For my family of four, we wouldn’t have enough money to pay our bills if neither of us had a paying job. The numbers didn’t add up. But we also knew God would provide, as he has time and time again. As we trusted in his economy of provision, God did provide. During that time, we never missed a payment or went hungry. Food and other resources were provided by our church, which is quite often the usual means God provides for his new covenant community. There were also provisions in unexpected ways. Three months later, my wife was hired as a teacher. A year after that, financial support for the jail ministry had poured in and I was hired as the Executive Director. God provided for our needs.
In all of these examples, God simply asked for complete trust in his provision and obedience in taking the next step in faith. Abraham walked Isaac up the mountain. Elijah drenched the altar. Peter let down the nets. Philip served the fish and chips. I walked into the jail every Wednesday with Bibles and the good news of Jesus.
As Paul reminded Timothy, let me remind you not to set your hope on the uncertainty (or certainty) of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 1:17). When the numbers don’t add up, take the next step in obedience and trust in God’s economy of provision.
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Peter
B
ailey
Peter (M.Div., Bethel Seminary, MN) is the husband of high school sweetheart Jennifer, father of three beautiful daughters, and he belongs to Jesus Christ. Founder and director of Upstate Jail Ministries for a decade, he now enjoys his time as a singer-songwriter, skiing the marvelous New England mountains, and shepherding the Coila Church in rural Cambridge, NY.