Luke 12:13-34
Tuesday, 22 November 2022
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Luke 12: 34
An urgent call for these times is given by Jesus Christ in our reading today. He deals with “greed” in verses 13-21 and “worry” in verses 22-30, and then gives the Kingdom perspective of human life in verses 31 -34, with a wake-up call to check where the heart is resting.
The fact is that our heart can rest on many things! Jesus said our heart will rest on our treasure! If our treasure is the Word of God, our heart focuses on that! Jesus picked up two common areas of human life, which can easily become our focus and get the attention of our hearts. The plan of God is that we seek His kingdom and all our needs will be met by God. However, many get entangled in the following two issues and lose their focus on God. They become less effective and eventually leave this earth without achieving anything for God or without having any treasure in heaven! Let us avoid that by amending our ways.
GREED vs CONTENT
Jesus says in Vs.15 “Beware, and be on guard against every form of greed.” The ensuing parable speaks about the futility of amassing wealth – at the cost of forgetting God. 1Timothy 6:10 says “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Money is required, but love of money is devastating; it will soon drag you into a whirlwind of problems that can ultimately destroy your life!
So where do we draw our line? We need to learn to be content – satisfied- in what we have! 1 Timothy 6:6 reminds us: “Godliness with contentment is a great gain.” Once we are content, then our energy can be channelized to think about Kingdom business rather than scheming new strategies to become richer!
WORRIES vs TRUST
Someone said, “Worry is interest paid on troubles before it is due!” Jesus explains in our reading today that worrying about our physical appearance is not going to change anything as we are incapable to effect any change. Beautiful flowers sometimes keep us breathless with their pristine beauty – God clothes them! Even the little bird out there and the tiny little creature – the ant—get their feed on time – God provides for them!! If God is able to take care of the needs of such seemingly insignificant creation of God, will He not be concerned about us humans who are the crown of His creation?
So where do we draw the line? Trust God! God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Eph.3:20) Trust and delight in the Lord; feed on His faithfulness…. He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:3,4)
Many think that trusting is a one-way process, once they trust God and commit their burdens to him! No! it is a two-way process, in which after committing your burdens to God, you do not take it back, instead keep on thanking him for bearing it for you. Worrying takes us nowhere; whereas trusting take us to His throne room! Remember Esther? She trusted in God and the golden scepter was stretched out for her! Remember Daniel? Instead of worrying about the hungry lions, he trusted God who could shut the lions’ mouth!! Caleb and Joshua trusted God who was bigger than the giants and the fortresses they saw!!
Dear brother/ sister – develop a trust in our God who is bigger than any problem that may be worrying you! Let your heart be resting on trust and contentment rather than greed and worry!
Meditate on: My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. (Ps 62:5 & 6)
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