Prosperity

Job has been a long time favorite book of mine. Most people think I'm nuts, but it's so reassuring to me to know that God is in control of everything. Besides being a window into the 'behind the scenes' of things, there is also a ton of wisdom within the pages. While the words of Job's "comforters" were spoken with wrong assumptions, they are all still wise words. However, as I was reading them earlier this week I was slapped in the face with the prosperity gospel. I don't know why I had never noticed it before, but there it was. Job's comforter, Eliphaz, was preaching the prosperity gospel to Job during the time that he had lost everything - including the will to live. Talk about bad timing. But then again, when is a good time for the prosperity gospel?

Jesus said that in this world we will have trouble - not prosperity. So were these words spoken by Eliphaz unbiblical? I don't think so. After all, all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching. So what gives? The only logical reason would be the difference in the definition of prosperity. Eliphaz said, "You will know your tent is secure; you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing. You will know that your children will be many, and your descendants like the grass of the earth. You will come to the grave in full vigor, like sheaves gathered in season. We have examined this, and it is true. So hear it and apply it to yourself." Can you imagine saying that to someone who had just lost all of his children?

Even though those things did come to pass in Job's life, I still don't believe in the worldly prosperity gospel. At first glance, this appears to be a biblical example of it, but my tent is a heavenly one. Everything I have belongs to God, and thus none of it will ever be missing, even if He takes it away. I don't know what's in store for my earthly children, but I pray that I will help many many women in their spiritual journey's to spread God's message to the ends of the earth. Through Christ we are all family - His family - and that's more important then anything on this earth. I will go to my grave in full vigor, because the best part of my life is yet to come. I will not have any regrets, or feel like I'm leaving anything behind, because my home is heavenward. That's how I choose to apply the prosperity gospel to my life. I will prosper in my life after death and for all eternity. That is worth far more than all the prosperity that this world has to offer.

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