Friday, April 7, 2017

Fri.’s Devo - The True Riches

Read: Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27; Luke 12:8-34; Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 12:21-23
Todays reading, like so many other days, dovetails and says the same thing. Moses was about to die and he instructed the people about their future and God’s laws. He called Joshua the leader and encouraged him to be strong and courageous. He wrote down the law and gave it to the priests commanding them to read it to the people every seven years on the Feast of Tabernacles.
God called Joshua and Moses to the Tent of Meeting and commissioned Joshua to lead the people. God told Joshua what the people would do when Moses dies. They would rebel against Him and fall into idolatry. God gave Moses a song to teach them about their future. I wonder what they thought as they heard this song foretelling their downfall.
Jesus gave his disciples a glimpse into their future. He told them that they will be brought to trial for their faith then he gave a lesson about greed. The Pharisees taught that the favor of the Lord was evidenced in a man’s wealth. Jesus taught that to gain favor in the kingdom, you had to lose it all.
He told the parable about the rich man who stored up all his treasure into a barn and was tearing down that barn to build bigger barns when his life was taken. Jesus called this man a fool for storing up things for himself but not being rich toward God. The way to be rich toward God is to seek his kingdom first, then all the things you need will be given you.
The rest of Psalm 78 was a picture of their wilderness journey and the hard hearts of the people. They daily saw God’s provision and his saving grace. They spoke allegiance to God with their mouths, but their hearts were far from Him.
Lord, may we be rich toward You and may we lay down our lives and all that we have to gain what money cannot buy.

No comments: