March 23
Everlasting Gold
You say, “I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing.” And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
Revelation 3:17 (NLT)
Give me an eagerness for your decrees; do not inflict me with love for money! Turn my eyes from worthless things and give me life through your word.
Psalm 119:36, 37 (NLT)
Several years ago, I felt the love of money wrap its fingers tight around my soul. It disturbed me, and these verses struck a chord deep within my heart. With tears in my eyes I prayed, “Lord never let me be rich if it would take my eyes off of You.” I haven’t regretted that prayer.
By American standards, I am not rich. Occasionally, we run out of money before all our bills are paid and my wife and I sit down and talk about priorities. It’s on those days, when things seem hard financially, I wonder about my prayer that day … but not for long. For God soon reminds me of all He has given—things of real value like the filling of His Spirit and the incredible fruit He brings—His love, joy and peace being three of my favorites (see Galatians 5:22-23).
Christ offers this gold to all who believe in Him. Here, in Revelation 3, He offered it to the wealthy Laodiceans who were “neither cold nor hot” but rather “poor and blind and naked”. This gold is not the easy life so many look for in vain. It is the real deal—treasure refined by the fires of trial and tribulation this world brings to the serious Christian. And this gold, purified by fire, is worth everything.
The Scriptures say, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:3). Real riches, you see, lie in the heart.
What fills your's?
Lord, give me gold that is everlasting. Make me the person You want me to be—not motivated by money and the pursuit of things, but motivated by love. Lord, give me this gold—the purest treasure. Amen.
Everlasting Gold
You say, “I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing.” And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
Revelation 3:17 (NLT)
Give me an eagerness for your decrees; do not inflict me with love for money! Turn my eyes from worthless things and give me life through your word.
Psalm 119:36, 37 (NLT)
Several years ago, I felt the love of money wrap its fingers tight around my soul. It disturbed me, and these verses struck a chord deep within my heart. With tears in my eyes I prayed, “Lord never let me be rich if it would take my eyes off of You.” I haven’t regretted that prayer.
By American standards, I am not rich. Occasionally, we run out of money before all our bills are paid and my wife and I sit down and talk about priorities. It’s on those days, when things seem hard financially, I wonder about my prayer that day … but not for long. For God soon reminds me of all He has given—things of real value like the filling of His Spirit and the incredible fruit He brings—His love, joy and peace being three of my favorites (see Galatians 5:22-23).
Christ offers this gold to all who believe in Him. Here, in Revelation 3, He offered it to the wealthy Laodiceans who were “neither cold nor hot” but rather “poor and blind and naked”. This gold is not the easy life so many look for in vain. It is the real deal—treasure refined by the fires of trial and tribulation this world brings to the serious Christian. And this gold, purified by fire, is worth everything.
The Scriptures say, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:3). Real riches, you see, lie in the heart.
What fills your's?
Lord, give me gold that is everlasting. Make me the person You want me to be—not motivated by money and the pursuit of things, but motivated by love. Lord, give me this gold—the purest treasure. Amen.
posted by Craig Soderquist at 6:45 AM
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