Good Morning Friends,
In today’s Gospel reading Jesus is directing us to stop treasuring our earthly treasures that do not last. But continue to treasure our heavenly ones. The point is that if we are not going to be controlled by our chattels, we must resist treasuring worldly things over life itself, and persist in treasuring spiritual things that enhance life. Part of the problem is that we give God humanlike characteristics in our relationship and come to the wrong thinking about the best of life. Thankfully, God reaches out to us by giving us the example of what it means to be fully human and also totally God. In Jesus we have the teacher, so we might learn to submit, and also the gift of a real relationship with God so that in our weakness we too might be lifted up in the Spirit. So, Are You Boasting About Your Possessions And Being Possessed By False Treasure?
Scripture: since many boast according to human standards, I will also boast. To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever anyone dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I am talking like a madman—I am a better one: with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and often near death. Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers and sisters; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, hungry and thirsty, often without food, cold and naked. And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30 (NRSV)
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Matthew 6:19-23 (NRSV)
Message: If we take our everyday life, nothing out of the ordinary, just our eating and sleeping and gardening and shopping and driving around and working and talking and put it before God as an offering…if we embrace what God is doing in our life, not the world’s values and acquisitions, but the presence of God…if we fix our attention on Jesus each day, it will be one of the best things we can ever do. With that in mind, today we face the reality that if we seek the wrong things, it can rob us of the best of life and even kill us. Friends the goal is to free our hearts, to have patience and partnership with people of faith, listening together too so God might reign in our lives and shine forth. A purposeful strategy of life should not be about money, power, beauty, and fame. These do not make us happy. The real treasure is in the rich value of a life of love, patience, service to God and others. The message here is simple. Accumulating treasures for yourself steals one’s soul. It serves no long-term purpose and wastes the time we have on things that are not secure. It can be and will be taken from you if you do not put it to use for a Godly purpose. Putting hope in wealth is a sort of treason against God’s reign. It is not useful to give your heart to things that do not last. True treasures should not be hidden forever but adorn us with a power that is not from us but is in us thanks to the grace of God.
And So, there are two kingdoms. One is the visible reign of the illegitimate human kingdom and the other the Kingdom of God. One holds a treasure that God possesses and shares and the other a false treasure that possesses people. Friends, God is working out a divine purpose in history. It profits nothing for a person to gain the whole world if one forfeits one’s soul.
Pray we realize that the love of wealth is a vane thirst that can never be quenched. Pray we realize that the only love that satisfies is that of the love of God shared to the glory of God. Pray we be a light to others seeking the Kingdom of God. Pray we as be a cool drink shared on a hot day. Pray we share in the abundant life of love in the Kingdom of God realizing that the wage of sin is death.
Pray our treasure does not become the food of worms. Pray we do not become slaves to vanity, pride, and wealth. Pray we have a heart that is free to experience life to its fullest. Pray our covenant is with Christ not cash. Pray Christ’s light shine out of the darkness. Pray the light of the Lord shine in our hearts giving us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory. Pray we realize that it is not the treasure we store up but the one we live up. Pray we learn the treasure of trust. Pray we are rich in good works. Pray the treasure in these jars of clay we call our bodies be freed to shine forth the light of the King. Pray God turn our treason into treasure. Pray we store up treasure in all the right places. Pray if we boast we boast about what God uses in our lives…even those things that do not look like treasure at all. Pray we have a vibrant relationship with God that spills over into our relationship with others, manifested as joy, peace, patience, and love.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 