What a great thing this financial meltdown is!!!

The newspaper headlines are grim. The online media headlines are dire.

The TV news portrays the current events with all the horror of an economic Freddie-Krueger event.

It's almost like we live in a fallen world, isn't it?

As a matter of fact, it is high time that we Christians remind ourselves that this world is indeed not yet in the kingdom of God. All sorts of perverse, horrible, deadly, unfair and downright annoying things not only might occur, they will certainly occur.

Even global credit meltdowns. Even Great Depressions. Even 9/11 events.

Again, it's almost like we live in a fallen world, isn't it?

Yet this current period of time offers rare opportunities for those of us who love Jesus Christ.

I have studied a bit the behavior of Christians during the Great Depression.

Three common themes emerged:

1) there was economic suffering for Christians ... homes lost, fortunes lost, days and nights of hunger,
2) yet Christians continued to trust God and they eventually came through, and
3) God's work continued forward during this desperate time.

Actually, during times of huge reversals on national / international scales, there are great opportunities for Christians to move the kingdom forward. Fear is often widespread and that can lead to openings for Christians to 'say a word' of comfort to either struggling fellow-Christians or those who do not know Christ.

God can use the fear many feel to open a window in their spirits to his grace. God can use the panic many feel to finally open the door to his love that so many have nailed shut for so many years.

God can use frozen IRAs, worthess stocks and foreclosed homes to re-acquaint Christians with the 'fleeting nature of riches'. The true riches, Jesus said, are not to be found on Wall Street but in his kingdom.

See how the current economic crisis can re-orient us back to true riches?

Have you hung your hat on the temporal riches of this world inordinately? Do you understand how it can all be gone in the blink of an eye, no matter how prudent your financial moves have been? Have you comprehended that there is only one bank that will never fail and it is not found on earth? Are you laying up riches in this bank today?

If not, why not?

Ponder these thoughts, reflect on your attitudes and receive the gift of new commitment to eternal riches that God is willing to give you as you move through this difficult period of time.

What a great thing this financial meltdown is!!!