Your Daily Devotional for October 12, 2007

 

October 12,  2007

 

 

A Heart that Prioritizes

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

"And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich."

 

Luke 18:18-23

 

 

Most of us have probably never heard of Oseolla McCarty. I certainly never knew who she was until a few years ago. You see Oseolla was an 88 year old widow in Mississippi who had dropped out of school after the seventh grade. She worked as a seamstress in relative obscurity until July 26,1995, when she walked into her bank, withdrew her "nest egg" of $150,000, and gave it to the University of Southern Mississippi.

 

A media frenzy ensued. The New York Times interviewed her and Harvard gave her an honorary Humanities degree. She received more publicity than she ever imagined. Why? Because it is rare when anyone handles their money in this way! It is rare when someone works steadily, budgets carefully, saves consistently, invests wisely, and gives generously. It is also rare when a person prioritizes their life around others and around the kingdom of God.

 

It is an uncommon thing in the day in which we live to see commitment and priorities like this lady's. Not many people today place such high priorities on planning and saving. Even so, not many people place high priorities on the Lord's work. While God commands us to give to His work, many people today place a false priority on the money they have.

 

Many people place a priority on wealth because it gives them a sense of power. As we see in our verses today, there was a rich young ruler who asked Christ the way to have eternal life. This young ruler had much wealth and loved the possessions he owned. They were a priority in his life. When Christ suggested he sell all he had, the ruler left in sorrow because he was not willing to part with his wealth.

 

The world has set the image that those with money are powerful. They have material possessions, social influence, and economical prosperity. Yet God shows us that those who give to Him and to His work have true joy. The wealthy may have power and influence in this world, but those who give to God's work have an impact on eternity.

 

Also, many people place a priority on material wealth because it brings them satisfaction. If we are not careful, we all can get caught in the trap of seeking money or possessions for joy and satisfaction. First Timothy 6:10 says, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Seeking money and material wealth can distract us from seeking God. We must look to Him to be the source of our joy and satisfaction.

 

While others prioritize money and material possessions, we must place a priority on God and His work. Never let the things of this world hinder you from obeying God in giving to Him. Remember that God honors and blesses those who willingly give to Him.

 

Have money and material possessions become a priority in your life? It's not wrong to have nice things, but when we focus on gaining earthly things more than we focus on serving God, it becomes wrong. We must place a priority on God and willingly give to Him. Take time now to meet with God. Make sure He is the priority of your heart and that you are seeking Him for joy and satisfaction. As we set our hearts on Him and obey Him, we will have all the wealth we need!

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

Isaiah 39-40 • Colossians 4

 

 

 

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