You Didn't Build That

There has been a firestorm of talk over the last few weeks about a remark that President Barack Obama made during a campaign speech. In a nutshell, he inferred that if you have been successful in any way, you didn't get there on your own. If you have a successful business, "you didn't build that."

Barack Obama was right.

Now, now...before some of my friends give me the fist pump of affirmation, and before some of my friends gather collectively to stone me, let me explain. I know that the remark the President made was in a whole different context, but please allow me a wee bit of liberty and grace. I needed an opening for this post and this seemed good to me.

During my prayer time the other day, I was thanking God for all of the things I normally thank God for. You know...my husband, my children, my grandchildren, health, my husband's job, ministry opportunities, finances, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the cross, salvation, and the Word. I didn't have a new revelation, but I just paid more attention, giving it more thought on that particular morning.

There is not one single solitary thing that I thanked God for, that did not come first from His hand.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1: 17 ESV)

Every good gift. Every perfect gift. Every single solitary thing that I thank God for. It comes from Him.

I thank Him for material blessings.

"But remember the Lord your God, for it is HE who gives you the ability to produce wealth." (Deut. 8:18)

I thank Him for salvation.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2: 8-9)

What about that faith that I have been saved through?

"The measure of faith that God has assigned." (Romans 12:3 ESV)

The grace by which I've been saved?

"But He gives more grace." (James 4: 6 ESV)

Dare I be proud that I love the Lord?

"We love because He first loved us." (1 John 4: 19 NIV)

I have nothing that didn't come from Him. I am not saved by any other but Him. Faith? Uh-uh! He gives me the measure of that. I can't even take credit for the love that I have for Him. He loved me first.

The air that I breathe. The next breath that I take. Each beat of my heart. It comes from the Giver of Life.

Each one of my children were conceived and born because God opens and closes wombs. (Genesis 30: 22; 1 Samuel 1: 19-20)

Success? God "humbles and He exalts." (1 Samuel 2: 7b)

President Obama doesn't know how correct he was in making that statement. His error was in where he was giving the credit for what we have, and for what we have accomplished.

Mr. President, you are right. We didn't build that.

God did!