Don't hoard treasures down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or - worse! - stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!
You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship God and Money both.
If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion - do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers - most of which are never even seen - don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
Ok, so that is a lot to digest.
The verse that speaks to me the most says "What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving."
Hmmm...so is there really a multi-product that I NEED. NO...maybe there is one that I WANT. There certainly are plenty that I use. I admit these verses tug on my heart more and more as I grow older. There are so many anti-aging products and foundations, blushes, eye shadows, lip glosses (see, I am thinking I NEED my lip gloss), eye pencils, hair color, and, well, I could go on and on.
So, I get this email and I am curious. What do I NEED now??? Oh, a Tinted Moisturizer. Of course, how have I lived so long without a tinted moisturizer???? Sigh, maybe, just maybe, I should TRY to live without that tinted moisturizer and turn my focus to God. What a step of faith!
Oh, Father God, to be like the birds and to be "careless in the care of God". As a mere human that is my goal...it is my struggle.
Ultimately, there is only one thing that I NEED and that is God. I NEED to "steep my life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions" and then I am free.
Whew, luckily I was able to delete that email, but will I delete the next temptation?
What do you struggle with as far as things you NEED versus things you WANT? Do you turn to God for discernment? Please share your thoughts with us.
Thanks,
Christy
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