Thought for Monday, 15 April 2024

 

1 John 2:16 NIV

For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

For Israel there were the Canaanite Baals, those jolly nature gods whose worship was a rampage of gluttony, drunkenness, and ritual prostitution. For us there are still the great gods Sex, Shekels, and Stomach (an unholy trinity constituting one god: self), and the other enslaving trio, Pleasure, Possessions, and Position, whose worship is described as "The lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16). Football, the Firm, and Family are also gods for some. Indeed, the list of other gods is endless, for anything that anyone allows to run his life becomes his god.

(Your Father Loves You by James Packer)

We are all well aware that we can be guilty of having possessions that we treasure, sometimes beyond monetary worth. We are also aware, I hope, that if we start to think more about those things than spending time with God, we are in deep trouble. These possessions can become idols in our lives, causing us to neglect other things we should be caring about or doing.

God has given us everything we will ever need, including His Son’s life blood. What? Why would God do that? God did that purely because of the love He has for us! I can’t even imagine how deep His love is toward us, but I do not know anyone I would sacrifice my child for, would you do that?

What we can, and should do is, worship Him as Father Son and holy Spirit. God should be the focus of our adoration, not a car or a house or jewellery or anything else made by human hands.

There may not be many more days left for us to give ourselves to the only one who can give us eternal life. As we look around at all the turmoil and hatred. All the, once committed, Christians who are turning from the only one who can assure us of life everlasting. The wars in various countries, as Jesus said in  Mark 13:8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

Will we all be ready when the day comes for the birth of the New Jerusalem? The answer is in our hands.

Prayer

Almighty Father, we thank You for every day You give us. Help us to use our days in worship and serving You with the abilities You have given us. We pray that You will strengthen us for what is ahead so that we can be bolder in spreading the word of Jesus and His sacrifice. We pray for all those who are embroiled in war, especially the innocent who cannot defend themselves, grant them Your protection. Please be merciful to those who live with the threat of earthquakes and tsunamis. You are the living triune God and we leave our prayers in Your hands, in Jesus’ name. Amen