Mt 6:19-20 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Well I can tell you where my heart and mind have been. Struggling with the pull of the material world and the Everlasting Kingdom. It is so true that my heart, mind, soul and energy are given to things that don't last. I have to constantly realign myself with God's priorities and it' so hard. I am glad to finally be in community with people who are also on this journey towards Kingdom values. I am glad I have to give an account and am trying to immerse myself in the Word which brings me life and proper perspective.
As I am thinking more and more about the poor, I am seeing things in scripture through a new lens. For example, last night I read Luke 12:15-21. It's the parable about the rich man whose land produced abundantly. He had an excess crop and instead of asking God what he should do, he hoarded it, tore down his old barn (which was probably still useful) and build a bigger better barn. If he had done so today, he probably would have hired an interior decorator to make sure it matched his house or consulted the latest version of Pottery Barn to make sure it looked vintage yet new and oh so cute. Maybe he would have been highlighted in "This Old House" magazine or sponsored a Sunset Magazine Tour.
What I had not seen in this passage before is not that he simply hoarded and built bigger barns bu that he failed to share with the poor. He was not "rich towards God" and God took his life that very night and he was not able to enjoy it nor pass it on to another. So how do we respond when we have and overflow? Say $10 or $10,000? Many times I just spend it on myself, buying again more things that will not last. Somehow it seems easier for me to pray about the bigger amounts than the everyday $5-$20 expenditures. But that adds up too.
Lord, please help me be rich towards you!! Help me to spend my money toward Kingdom purposes.
Luke 12: 16-21
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
21"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
Well I can tell you where my heart and mind have been. Struggling with the pull of the material world and the Everlasting Kingdom. It is so true that my heart, mind, soul and energy are given to things that don't last. I have to constantly realign myself with God's priorities and it' so hard. I am glad to finally be in community with people who are also on this journey towards Kingdom values. I am glad I have to give an account and am trying to immerse myself in the Word which brings me life and proper perspective.
As I am thinking more and more about the poor, I am seeing things in scripture through a new lens. For example, last night I read Luke 12:15-21. It's the parable about the rich man whose land produced abundantly. He had an excess crop and instead of asking God what he should do, he hoarded it, tore down his old barn (which was probably still useful) and build a bigger better barn. If he had done so today, he probably would have hired an interior decorator to make sure it matched his house or consulted the latest version of Pottery Barn to make sure it looked vintage yet new and oh so cute. Maybe he would have been highlighted in "This Old House" magazine or sponsored a Sunset Magazine Tour.
What I had not seen in this passage before is not that he simply hoarded and built bigger barns bu that he failed to share with the poor. He was not "rich towards God" and God took his life that very night and he was not able to enjoy it nor pass it on to another. So how do we respond when we have and overflow? Say $10 or $10,000? Many times I just spend it on myself, buying again more things that will not last. Somehow it seems easier for me to pray about the bigger amounts than the everyday $5-$20 expenditures. But that adds up too.
Lord, please help me be rich towards you!! Help me to spend my money toward Kingdom purposes.
Luke 12: 16-21
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
21"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
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