Vicar's Letter - 13 May 2022

Kia Ora All Saints Whānau,

This week I have been listening to some new music from an album called Old Church Basement, by Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music (worth a listen if you are into that style). One of their new songs is called Jireh, coming from the term Jehovah Jirah (or Yahweh Yireh) meaning 'the Lord provides'. This is the name Abraham gives to the place where God provided a ram as a sacrifice in place of Isaac, and is often used as a name for God - Provider.
 
As we continue our series this week on 'There is Enough', the lyrics of this song have been lingering in my mind: 'Jireh, you are enough' and 'I wasn't holding you up, so there's nothing I can do to let you down'. Too often we become anxious about our time, money or possessions and push for more - more productivity, more assets, more financial stability, more relational influence, more networking. Healthy productivity and fruitfulness is great, but when we work for it to try to impress God, or without recognising our reliance on God, or without a heart of abundance, we live out of a sense of scarcity and reject Jehovah Jireh, our provider. An alternative title to 'There is Enough' could have been 'the Propaganda of More' which implies that we have been sucked into a world that draws us away from the recognition that God is enough and encourages us to compete, often at the expense of others or our relationship with God, our loving parent.

Consider different areas of your life. Do you believe there is 'enough' in that area? Are you asking for God's provision, and if you are, do you truly believe God can and will provide? Are you trying to impress God and avoid letting him down without recognising God isn't asking us to perform for him? What would this world look like if we stepped out of the rat race and lived out of abundance, being content in every circumstance?

As we consider our attitude towards our giving this month, let us be both encouraged and challenged to live into the abundance of the living God: Jireh, YOU ARE ENOUGH.

May you be blessed to be a blessing to others this week.

Emily Spence
Co-Vicar