PSALM 39:4 – “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!
THEME OF THE DAY. A MUCH NEEDED PRAYER. Today’s nugget is starting out with the words of our Lord Jesus and a parable. The parable is titled, “The Parable of the Rich Fool.” It is hard-hitting and should drive us to our knees in seeking the Lord for honest self-examination as to whether our attitudes in this life are somewhat like the rich man. Here is the unfolding of our Lord’s words . . .
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:13-21).
The lessons are many in Jesus’ parable. We want to consider three because in some measure, all of us need to heed all three. First, our lives are not viewed as successful by what we achieve, acquire, or possess – guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. Friends, when the time comes for our departure from this life, leaving an inheritance of worldly goods and riches to family members or charities, even churches, will not be viewed in eternity as what mattered most. The greatest thing we leave behind was a life lived for Christ – totally and consistently. Don’t miss this. At our memorial services, the most important legacy shared will be our spiritual legacy. Live that daily so there will be one to share.
Next, don’t be deceived to think there is to be a season of rest and relaxation in this life – And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God”. Oh, Christian, God’s people never “retire” when it comes to living for Him, serving His church, and investing in souls – saved and unsaved. I see far too many Christians laboring in the present for the passing pleasures and riches in this life, not investing in spiritual things and people, and looking forward to a not-promised future day of earthly rest, ease, and relaxation. That is not a Biblical principle. It is worldly and God says, “Fool. Why did you invest in such foolish and passing things?” Be wise. Don’t let the devil, world, flesh and our own understanding dupe us to live for what God has not commanded or promised – ease, rest and accumulated riches in this fleeting life.
A final lesson in today’s nugget is not from Jesus’ parable but today’s scripture. We are prone to be like the rich man in the parable. Perhaps not with the amount of accumulated wealth he had but with the attitudes of rest and ease he embraced. To overcome this, we need to pray regularly today’s scripture. We need God to remind us this life is not our home and to invest in it is one of the highest expressions of foolishness and spiritual deception. Be determined to live for what will last for eternity – God’s will, God’s people, God’s gospel.
PRAYER: “Father, forgive me when I focus way too much of my life on this life and not the next.”
QUOTE: “Don’t squander the only life we have on things that won’t matter in eternity.”