Another weekend is almost here, I marvel at the fact that we are already into June. The cold and icy roads of this past winter are a vague memory, this year is half over.
Wow!
As Preacher Mike once said, life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer you get to the end the faster it goes!
The world has such a persistent message. It tells us to focus on the here and now, to be successful, to have a good job, nice home, cars, vacations, all of that.
But with each passing day we are getting closer to an inevitable end to all of this.
Reading in 2 Peter this morning.
"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare." 2 Peter 2:10 (NIV)
All of it will be gone. Will there be anything man-made in heaven? Yes, scars made from four nails and a spear.
If we spend our time and talents chasing after what the world tells us to, we are building something that will one day be completely destroyed. I'm not saying we shouldn't work, own a house, etc. But we need to do these things knowing they will one day be gone.
Peter continues;
"Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming." 2 Peter 2:11 (NIV)
I wonder sometimes, if we spent half the energy we do on trying to make this temporary home comfortable, and instead put that toward being holy and godly, what would our lives look like?
Let's take a moment and prayerfully read this parable. Let us ask the Lord for eyes to see.
"Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions."
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'
"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?'
"This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God." Luke 12:13-21 (NIV)
