so...i got this book called 'praying with saint paul' and it has already been effective. its a daily devotional, great for work. here's what it said for nov 6:
"Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who righly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life." (1 Tim 6:17-19)
Most of us don't think of ourselves as "rich" but, in comparison with those living in the time of Jesus, the average person living in the industrialized world today has many more possessions, more luxuries, more services, and more entertainment than ancient kings. Open your closet, check your garage, you may find it crammed with stuff you don't need and will never use again. Count the number of devices you won that bring music and compare it to an ancient wagon.
But our wealth has its dangers. We are tempted to rely on accumulated objects for security. Bounty cn become excess. We can become addicted to stuff. I have lisened to people raionalize why they really need one hundred tee shirts or seventy-five pairs of shoes. I have seen closets full of junk their owner was hoarding just in case some day they might need that one thing out of all their accumulated stuff. Of course when that day comes they probably wont have the time to go through the "just-in-case" stuff and will be forced to go out and buy another. Man hold on to trash as though it were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Their basements, garages, and attics are filled with broken promises - furniture, toys, and appliances in various states of disrepair that they promised to fix but haven't gotten around to. Rather than trusting the Lord, they rationalize and make excuses, convincing themselves that their broken and worn out stuff is a dedge against a future financial disaster.
What is worse, they consider their habit of hoarding a virture. They do not see ho their hoard of stuff steals their time, creates chaos and strife in the family, and is a sign of a lack of trust in God.
Were they to give their excess to the poor, they would pile up treasure in heaven.
You know how you have a conversation with one person in the morning, and then later that day the same subject comes up with another person, and then you read something that covers both convos and more or some how you have a 'theme' in your day. Thats what happened on thursday; my whole day came full circle. I like those kinds of days, it reminds me that God works in mysterious ways and that maybe I should listen to this message.
