Bible Devotion Week 9

Job 27:19, speaking of the godless, “he opens his eyes, and his wealth is gone.”
Luke 12:15 Jesus said, “one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

On Monday we read from Job 27 and Luke 12. I found their connections fascinating. Job 27 is a juxtaposition between the righteous and the godless. Job points out the godless enjoy riches at others expense and when they die what becomes of their wealth? It is given to another. Similarly in Luke we read Jesus teaching on wealth that sounds similar. He tells a parable of the rich man who has so much wealth that he tears down perfectly good barns and builds bigger, better barns. He hordes all his goods and says to himself, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” That very night God takes his life calling him a fool for thinking he would get to enjoy his vast wealth. Is God against wealth? Does he desire his people to be poor? 

The Lord does not desire riches or poverty for his followers. He may appoint one to be a billionaire and another to live paycheck to paycheck. What he desires above all else is that you recognize the riches you have in heaven. After the parable, Jesus speaks about anxiety around worldly things like food, shelter, and clothing. Don’t worry about these but seek the kingdom and those things will be given to you. I heard a story recently that illustrates this idea. A pastor was running errands and stopped at a shopping center. On his way inside a store, he noticed a homeless couple dumpster diving behind the shopping center. The woman sees the pastor and asks if he can help them out. They have not eaten in awhile which is why the man was in the dumpster looking for food. The pastor said he would see what he could do and proceeded to run his errand. As he came out of the store, he went to a sandwich shop next to it and got a few sandwiches. He approached the couple and sheepishly handed them the sandwiches. The man of the homeless duo said, “Thank you. Thank you so much. We don’t have hardly nothing. Just got to town a few nights ago. Been sleeping under the bridge over there. But God, he always seems to send people to help us out. Jesus been good to us that way. He always provides.” Here was an impoverished, overlooked, worn down, beaten down, pauper who could take a sandwich he didn’t pay for and say “Jesus been good to us that way. He always provides.” It brings power to the part of the Lord’s prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Saints, the Lord wants you to be rich with a great inheritance that is spiritual and with him in heaven. Why? Because that treasure will not fail you, a thief will not steal it, and a moth will not destory it (Luke 12:33). Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven and seek first the kingdom of God and you will find that you too will have the faith of that dumpster diver and confess, “He always provides.”