WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY Jesus said: "First seek the Kingdom of God." Luke 12:31
REFLECT
About 3000 years ago King David made a personal plea: "Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere hand breath; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: he bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it." Ps 39.
This personal plea turned into an observation on society, and a theological position-statement of man's standing before an almighty God.
Jesus also saw this problem as a major issue 2000 years ago when he told the parable of the rich fool. In this story the rich man says to himself: "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." But God says to him: "You fool! This very night your soul will be required of you " Luke 12:16-21.
God has heard it all before. History is littered with civilizations that have tried this hedonistic, me-too philosophy. And the thing we learn from history is that we learn little from history.
Our modern culture seems to pursue these same goals: "(I) am the most important person. (I) am the person who must come first. (I) am doing this for me. (I'm) worth it. (I) have to win. (I) play hard now, for tomorrow I die."
This is how it is for anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God. And being rich toward God is all about giving your life to Him as first priority. If he asks you to give away your wealth, then do it. If he wants you to give up your promising business career to go into some area of ministry, then do it. Whatever you do, make God and His Kingdom your first priority.
And pray. By praying, we indicate our conviction that without God, we will follow the ways of the world. To believe in the power of prayer is to believe that the God of history is involved in your personal affairs today. Pray hard!
PRAYER
Father, help us to slow down and linger in your presence; to add the eternal
dimension to our life that will make us more like you planned for us to be. Amen
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The following article has been sent in by Cavan Creado. The author is unknown but whoever it was, we ask that God richly bless them!
LESSON FROM A CHILD
One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main streets of town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the roads are wet and slick.
Suddenly, my son Matthew spoke up from his relaxed position in the front seat. "Mom, I'm thinking of something."
This announcement usually meant he had been pondering some fact for a while and was now ready to expound all that his seven-year-old mind had discovered. I was eager to hear. "What are you thinking?" I asked.
"The rain," he began, "is like sin and the windshield wipers are like God, wiping our sins away."
After the chill bumps raced up my arms; I was able to respond. "That's really good, Matthew." Then my curiosity broke in. How far would this little boy take this revelation? So I asked... "Do you notice how the rain keeps on coming? What does that tell you?"
Matthew didn't hesitate one moment with his answer: "We keep on sinning, and God just keeps on forgiving us."
I will always remember this whenever I turn my wipers on. Isn't it comforting to know that God does keep forgiving us. That all we have to do is ask Him to come into our lives and He will keep washing our sins away.
I hope each of you remembers this story when you turn on your wipers; God does keep forgiving when we invite Him into our life. - Author Unknown
