Tues.’s Devo - A Teaching Moment

Read Luke 12:11-24 Jesus always teaches a principle then demonstrates it. Today’s reading is a perfect example of that. Jesus is finishing his teaching on the Holy Spirit and ends it with verse 11 and 12. When you are brought before religious leaders, people in powerful positions in the world, or demonic powers don’t try to reason your answer, but allow the Holy Spirit to give you the right response. As soon as he says that, a person comes up to him with a problem and Jesus demonstrates this principle. The man is complaining that his brother is not dividing the inheritance with him and he wants Jesus to be his advocate. Jesus explains that he is not here to judge or divide then the Holy Spirit in Jesus shows him the root of the man’s heart: covetousness. He tells them a parable about a man who was very rich and had an over-abundance. Instead of looking for people to share it with he decided he needed to build bigger places to store it. Then he could kick back and enjoy his life with no worries. God called this man a fool because he was going to take his life that night. All his “stuff” was not going to help him and his life would be in vain. It does no good to have an abundance of worldly goods and no eternal reward of knowing God. When you know God and honor him with your wealth, then you realize it is not “your” wealth, but his that he has in trusted you to spend wisely. We are not to worry about our future because God has promised to both feed and clothe us. If the ravens don’t do a thing to make their food and God feeds them, aren’t we more important than ravens to God? Of course we are. If we are rich toward God and trust him with our lives then we will walk in the promises of the Word and stand on them. So what is our part? To seek God’s kingdom first then all the things we need both spiritually and physically will be supplied. Lord, help us to seek you first and allow the Holy Spirit to speak through us about every situation.