Fewer Problems With Plenty
Philosophy View of Plenty
An adequate or more than adequate number or amount of something:
A number or amount of something that is enough for a particular purpose
Biblical View of Plenty
And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. Genesis 41:31KJV
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. Job 22:25 KJV
“So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Proverbs 3:10KJV
In current modern day society its possible to see how easy it is for plenty to be an issue, it has lead many of us to believe in our own self sufficiency. Plenty can cause distraction for some us as Christians, meaning when there is plenty, we tend to spend less time investing in the pursuit of God and instead focus on all that we have. If we are not careful it can lead to idolatry, or ruin, but it doesn’t have to. Plenty can equal godly prosperity and the right enjoyment of God’s gifts. David was able to look at his life of plenty and say, the land you have given me is pleasant land.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. Psalm 16:6 KJV
I once found myself lifting my voice in praise to God for exactly the same reason. I thanked God for the pleasant land of my home, my marriage and my relationship with my family. I praised him for where he has taken me from and how he has kept me in my Christian journey and for my friends, I thought about the pleasant places like times around the dining table, a bank balance with enough to purchase things like clothes and necessities. Like King David, I could truly say my land was pleasant indeed. Then another thought came to mind engendering petition. This time it was a warning
Deuteronomy 8:7 – 17 reminds us that the Lord has taken us from shame to victory we should not become proud and forget where he has taken us from.
For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given the
Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
Conclusion
The solution was quite simple, really. I was reminded not to make my pleasant land my god, but to worship the God who graciously gives me my pleasant land.
Plenty is a problem for many of us.
Plenty lulls us into false security.
Plenty tempts us to believe that we are able to do anything that we want in life. Why trust God when we can trust Plenty? How good of God to remind us of that little word “beware” letting us know not to forget him in our time of plenty. The antidote to becoming proud and thinking we have accumulated wealth by ourselves is meditating on God and his goodness all day long. Plenty of worship will take care of the problem Plenty.
May God help us to know that whatever we have accumulated in this life is because of his goodness and kindness towards us. He is the one who gives us the abilities to achieve and afford whatever it is that we have, therefore we should be greatful each and every day for all the blessings God has given us knowing that without him we can do nothing and is nothing. Let us continue to give him the praise for all the Plenty that we have.
HAVE A BLESSED DAY.