Every Christian pastor knows of the growing plague of young people just moving in with each other without the benefit of marriage. We’ve heard all the rationales, justifications, excuses, and dodges. What’s just as shocking is the number of older couples who are moving in with each other and sharing a bedroom. “We don’t want to lose our social security and retirement benefits by marrying,” they say. “We can’t afford to get married.”

Arrgh! Think of the message these fearful people are sending God—“We can’t afford to do what you want. What you ask will impoverish us.” King Amaziah of Judah really wanted to take some military action with people who had no use for the Lord. “A man of God came to him and said, ‘Your Majesty, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel—not with any of the people of Ephraim. Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.’ Amaziah asked the man of God, ‘But what about the hundred talents I paid for these Israelite troops?’ The man of God replied, ‘The LORD can give you much more than that’” (2 Chronicles 25:7-9).

Our God is a God of unlimited resources. When people do what is right in his eyes, he throws open the gates of heaven and pours out all they need and more.