We've all been told at some point in our lives to appreciate what we have and stop looking at what we don't have. In some cases maybe we were told more than once. How come we have such a hard time doing this? It sounds easy enough and it's only two simple instructions. By comparison, if I gave somebody driving directions from Boston to Los Angeles, the directions would have probably 40 to 50 pieces and the person would make it there just fine. So it's not the number of steps in the process that we're hung up on. Often time the reason is that we don't want to stop looking at what we don't have. For many it has become a habit or even an obsession to look at what they don't have regardless of all the things they do have.
This week has been a great opportunity for a reality check for many folks as it became the second rainiest month of May in New England in recorded history. Rivers and streams crested and washed out roads, flooded homes and schools, destroyed cars and property. The city I call home (Peabody Ma) got national attention because it was under six feet of water in the downtown area. Roads and highways had been closed due to rivers being many feet above flood stage. My home happens to be in a higher area of Peabody and we were extremely fortunate that all we got was some water in the basement. There was really no damage in our house to speak of Thank God, but there are hundreds of people in Massachusetts and New Hampshire that have seen their businesses get destroyed by water or their homes get thousands of dollars in damage.
It's times like this we get a HUGE reminder to be thankful for what we have. When you see a person being interviewed on the news and they've lost most if not all of their material possessions but they still have it in them to say, "My family is safe and that's all that matters", that's a huge statement. That tells us that we have no right to be complaining about the things we don't have or the things we can't afford. Money and possessions are not what’s important. We need money to live on but it should be just that, to live on. Unfortunately money has become the most important thing for many people, almost to the point of obsession. This leaves no room for God.
Matthew 6:24 say's that. No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Hebrews 13:5 say's Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
The person I saw on the news had lost his cars, and his home had so much damage that they had to relocate. They never showed one ounce of self pity. The peace that this person had told me that they had their priority's right. They knew that God would provide for them. If only we could all just see this example and have it wake us up. Unfortunately this one example won't do it. Those that have not got their priorities in order need to work on getting them in order and then keep at it until the changes become habit. There are many references to money in the Bible. In many instances people are being told to build something with it or give to the poor. There are no instances where we are encouraged to horde our money for ourselves.
Our faith and focus needs to be on God not money or possessions. It’s all his anyway, we are merely stewards of his money. The better stewards we are, the more we are entrusted with. If we are just doing an ok job at managing what has been entrusted to us, then we will only be entrusted with a little. Those that live on what they need; that tithe regularly; that save well and live modest lives are the ones entrusted with more. I’ve had some folks argue this point with me saying that there are many wealthy people in the world that just do well in business that will run over the next guy to get what they want. This is true, there are financially wealthy people that will do whatever they have to in business to get what they feel is theirs. These people are not spiritually wealthy and their riches don’t last because it’s not of God. They are always looking for more money. They don’t understand that all the money in the world cannot fill the void in their lives that only God can fill. So yes we can get wealth on our own without God, but unless it’s of God and blessed by him, it will not last.
Nothing man has ever made has lasted. However everything that God has made lasts as long as he intends for it to. I once heard Bill Cosby performing and he was referring to the book of Genesis. He was illustrating how awesome God is. He said that God creates and man invents. God made a tree and called it good. Man makes car and calls it extraordinary. God made a rabbit and called it good. Man made a refrigerator and called it amazing.
Well the wheels fall of the car and the refrigerator broke down. The tree is still standing and the rabbit is still running. I think that say’s it all.
Please pray this with me.
Father God, thank you for all that you provide for us. Thank you for your grace which is unending and thank you Lord for forgiving us when we do things opposite of how you would have us do them. Father it is through you that we have all things, on our own we are incapable of doing anything compared to what we can do with your blessings. Lord God please help us. Help us to have total faith and dependence on you. Help those that don’t understand, to know that they need to ask in prayer for the things they need or need help with. They need to do some of the work, but your blessings have to be on what they’re doing in order for it to be fruitful. Father I ask that you bless the people that have been affected by this devastating storm. Help them to rebuild, give them the strength to endure this trying time and I ask for double portion for those that have not wavered through this, because they are counting on you. They are standing on the rock and will not be shaken.
In Jesus Name I Pray
Amen
God Bless You All
“The Sharpshooter”
No comments:
Post a Comment