Daily Devotion: Focus on God, Not on Greed

Scripture:
Luke 12: 13-21, Ephesians 5: 1-5, 15-17

Main Verses:
Ephesians 5: 15-17
15. So, then, be careful how you live. Do not be unwise but wise, 16. making the best use of your time because the times are evil. 17. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Observation:
In the parable of the rich fool, the Lord warns us that the things of this world will not last long, and that greed will never satisfy a man's desire. He tells the crowd that they should guard themselves against any kind of greed. Having more possessions does not equate to happiness. In fact, there are many who have a lot of material wealth who are still unhappy and live miserable lives. At the end of the parable, the rich fool dies and he is unable to take with him the wealth that he saved up for years.

What is the Lord teaching us? Some people already have plenty, yet they desire for more as if their happiness depended on it. But the Lord's warning is clear. In Ephesians 5: 5, the Lord says that anyone who is greedy will not have an inheritance in his Kingdom.

Application:
The Lord wants us to live wisely. We must make good use of our time here on earth to understand what the will of the Lord is, and do not only think about acquiring earthly riches. Now, the Lord did not say that we should not work. In fact, he also warns us in Proverbs 10:4 that "lazy hands bring poverty, but hard-working hands lead to wealth." The Lord wants us to be good stewards of whatever blessings He gives to us, but He does not want our lives to revolve around our wealth. When that happens, we turn our greed into idolatry because our hearts are consumed by the thought of money.

We need to keep our thoughts focused on God and not on greed. The Lord desires to give us a life of joy, peace, and contentment by enjoying the blessings that He gives to us. We must remember that our purpose here on earth, above all things, is to follow the will of the Lord. We can hold on to the Lord's promises that if we seek his kingdom and his righteousness first, He will provide us with all the things that we need.

Prayer:
Father, forgive me when I forget to follow your will. Help me live a life of contentment, a life that always seeks your righteousness first. AMEN.