Atlantic District Publications

Letters from the President - Belt Tightening

September 29, 2008 at 1:05 PM

When I first heard it on the radio, my ears couldn't take it in, so they removed some zeroes. The Big Bailout, my ears told me, was $700,000,000. "Wow," I thought, "that's a lot of debt to take on." Then, ten minutes later, the story was repeated. And the zeroes made their way through my cortex. $700,000,000,000!!! That's more than even Bill Gates has in the bank.

And just like many, my thoughts turned immediately to........our plans for retirement. Mortgages. Pensions. Gas at the pump. Dinner. The economy of Dave's household inside the economy of New York inside the economy of the United States inside the economy of the globe. And the economic advisors on TV, when asked about individual investments, gave this advice - "don't look at your investment returns - for the next three years." What? Don't look and it will go away? That only worried me more! We've all been told the same thing, finally - it's time for some serious belt-tightening. All over the world.

The word "economy" comes from the old Greek word for "household." And there's anxiety in a lot of households these days, and a lot of houses of prayer as well, as we consider taking a few loops out of the belt.

When belt-tightening is the order of the day, however, the household of God begins in God's Word. There we are told to "fasten the buckle of the belt of truth around the waist." (Ephesians 6) Truth. Something in short supply and long demand out there on economic planet earth, where dreams and greed collide in their attempted collusion to satisfy our once and future needs.

Divine Truth is packaged not in temporary measures like loan guarantees but in the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. At our fonts and altars and in our pulpits, we will lead to and BE led by Jesus. The Presence of Christ in our hearts and our midst will provide calm not only for jangled nerves, but for souls in need of lasting peace. And He DOES satisfy, not only Dave's household, but the entire household of faith, the communion of saints. True forgiveness, true strength, true advice, true community, true to the form of sacrifice unto death and beyond to life eternal.

More may be expected to take sanctuary in our sanctuaries from the stress and woes of life in the upcoming months. Assist them in tightening their belts in our way - buckle up with the Truth! Buckle up in the Lord Jesus Christ!