A methodist church has been encouraging their members to give up spending for Lent. They asked the members to print out the card above and tape it to their credit/debit cards.
I think this is an excellent way for us to begin to give God control of our lives. If we let God have control of our finances there are several benefits. (I know none of this is new and maybe it doesn't help anyone else, but for me this is an area where I need constant reminders.)
First we will probably spend a lot less money on the things we are being pushed to buy through all the marketing around us. If we can break free from being consumers it will free us from a bondage that has a huge impact on our souls.
Second, if we are living first to allow God to control our monies, we will have to walk away from competing with anyone over the accumulation of wealth. We will no longer have to worry about how we rate compared to someone else.
Third, it will help us avoid other conflicts. In our marriages and extended family life, money issues are the most frequent catalysts for disagreements, arguments and fights. If we can give God control of our money it would seem obvious that we would have significant reduction in conflict with the people in our lives.
Fourth. God will surely have us more concerned with issues of poverty and need and we will begin to see the world through his eyes and use our resources in a way that is consistent with The Lords Prayer - "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven".
Maybe starting with the Lenten season as a trial is a good test to see if we are ready to give God our credit/debit cards.
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