Loved and Protected

As a nation we’ve been incredibly blessed; we’ve had abundance and relative peace for many years now, but where has it gotten us? Instead of cultivating gratitude and crediting God with blessing us, we’ve gotten fat and greedy and self-centered and arrogant, believing we deserve these things. Ask us and we’ll say it to your face.

Even Christians haven’t been immune to the allure of material things. Because we’ve had money in excess we’ve torn down the old houses and barns and built bigger ones, believing the commercials that say we’re worth it.

Does this ring any bells? Luke 12:18 says: “And He told them a parable…’the land of a certain rich man was very productive and he [said], ‘What shall I do since I have no place to store my crops?’ And he said, ’This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you, and now who will own what you have prepared?’”

This man assumed that his riches would sustain him, that he could do whatever he pleased, because he was in control. But he was deceived. We are not in control. Ecclesiastes 2 says Solomon spent his youth searching for what would satisfy his soul. He built houses, gardens and parks, built ponds, bought slaves, and built up herds and entertained himself with talented singers and musicians, and eventually came to this conclusion: (v. 11): “Thus I considered all my acitivities which my hand had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.”

Our lives, as important as they may seem to us, are like a vapor, according to Scripture. They last but a moment and are gone. To believe anything else is to delude ourselves.

So what can we do to make our lives count for something more than smoke and vapor? We can accomplish God’s purpose by setting aside our own agendas and living to glorify Him. We can live to please and bless God, encouraging others and showing them that Jesus is the answer to every question, and that they will give an account of everything they have done in the flesh.

Our day of blessing as a nation, has ended, and it’s time to give an account of what we did with that blessing. Did we squander it, or did we use it to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ? Do we love Him with all our hearts, souls and strength? Do we care that others are dying and going to hell?

The truth won’t be popular, but it’s still the truth. It’s time to get real and stop playing games, worrying about appearances and pleasing men. It’s time to worship and glorify God and let political correctness go jump in the lake. Jesus is Lord, and we will answer to Him only. In this day of easy believism we must tell others that there is one absolute, and His name is Jesus. Let’s get down to what’s real and will last–blessing God and leading men to salvation in Jesus Christ. In the end, that’s the only thing that will count for eternity. It’s the reason we’re here.

What will we do with the truth? It’s up to us. And the time is now.

Because of His great love,

Nancy

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