I'm feeling a bit under the weather today so stayed home and listened to John Piper's message -What is the Recession For. Reason #3 is where I needed to stay! Here are the highlights...

What is this recession for??
#3-The Lord intends to relocate the roots of our joy...
- in His grace and not in our goods
- in His mercy and not in our money
- in His worth and not in our wealth

God sends recessions to yank up the roots of our joy from the pleasures of the world and plant them in the glory of His grace. (Imagine all the roots in this picture being rooted in things of this world. Thank you Lord for the yanking!)

Piper shares this supporting scripture.

2 Corinthians 8:1-2
1We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

Did their joy come from their prosperity? No. Their recession was abounding as was their joy!!
Where did their joy come from? The grace of God! What does the grace of God look like? It looks like abundant joy in the midst of poverty, overflowing with a heart of generosity.

Are you stunned by the grace of God that He loves you, that He forgives you, that He stays by you, that He keeps holding onto you, that He promises to bring you home to glory and you can hardly imagine a God so kind that you want to give and give to people in need?

Where are the roots of our joy? In our finances? In earthly security? Thank the Lord for jerking up these roots in times such as these! We may find our security in the firm, solid, unshakable grace of God!

Colossians 2:6-7
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness!