What's in YOUR wallet?

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. – 2 Peter 1:3 (NLT)
     
     
Just 20 years old, I sat in the manager’s office of the local Grant’s department store, awaiting his verdict on my credit application. On my own for the first time and living two hours from home, I decided a small television would be a nice addition to my furnished apartment. After a hectic day of teaching, the evenings were quiet but lonely. I hadn’t had time to make friends I could hang out with in my new town. A TV would add some noise and help me to feel not so lonely.
     
But I hadn’t worked long enough to save for expenses such as this. My father had passed away 10 months earlier, and my mother lived on his meager pension. I wouldn’t have asked for anything, anyway. I was on my own now. Standing on my own two feet. Making my way in the world. And all that stuff.
     
The manager shook his head. “I’m sorry, but we can’t extend you credit.”
     
“Why not? I have a fulltime job, a steady paycheck.”
     
He sighed. “And no credit rating.” He explained that in order to borrow money, I had to owe money—to prove I was reliable.
     
I frowned. “But my car loan . . . I make all the payments on time.”
     
“It’s in your mother’s name, not yours.”
     
“So it doesn’t count.”
     
He shook his head sadly. “Do you have any credit cards?”
     
I was about to say no, but then I remembered I had a Texaco credit card in my wallet. I never used it because back then you paid cash for all but the big ticket items, like a house and a car. I pulled it out and handed it over.
     
“But I’ve never used it. My father gave it to me for emergencies.”
     
He glanced at it and grinned.
 
“This isn’t in your father’s name,” he explained. “It’s in your name. Your father must have applied for it for you and signed his name to back it up. Looks like you’re going to get your TV.”
     
I did. Thanks to my father, who had the foresight and the means to provide me with something he knew I’d eventually need. I’d carried around something valuable in my wallet and didn’t even know it.
     
My Heavenly Father is the same way. He’s provided me with all I need to live the kind of life He wants me to live. As a child of God, I am rich beyond measure, yet too often not even aware of what’s in my heavenly bank account. My Heavenly Father has made the deposit and backed the account with His own signature.
     
His Word—like a bank statement—lists all that’s available to me.
     
Child of God, do you know what’s in your wallet?
     

     
Father God, thank you for providing me with all I need before I even knew I needed it. Amen.

Special-Tea: Read Ephesians 1:3-14