Devotionals

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Lately at church we have had sermons from Ecclesiastes. The following poem and following paragraphs are a result of what I understood from yesterday's sermon. Most of us live for ourselves. If we are God's children, our priorities should be different.




Waking early before the sun

Chasing money, that's what is done.

Craving attention and attagirls.

Aren't I great? Look at me!




Working hard will win much wealth and fame.

If that is the given formula

Then easy street here I come.




Success is the name of my game.

Others are stepping stones

I climb on to get to the top.

No time to be nice.

I do not want any friends.

You will only slow me down and

Keep me from where I want to be.




Get out of my way.

Step back or get hurt.

I have important places to be.

In front of great people I must be seen.




I will use you for what I can.

Relationships are disposable,

Just a means to an end.

You are only a toy in my plan.




Cold and callous,

calculating and shrewd.

That is why I am the best.

It is all about me.

No time to spend on others.

No time to invest.




All alone in this world.

All by myself.

It does not matter.

I do not care.

It is better this way

With no one to interfere.




But then God's Word says if I live the life in the above poem, I am only striving after the wind. Possessions and the pursuit of possessions is not the mighty king. Jesus is the Almighty King.

If we live in the pursuit of our own glory and are consumed with self to the exclusion of everyone else, we might as well be striving after the wind. We make making a living our idol. Money and the pursuit of it becomes what we worship. There is nothing wrong with working hard or having money. If we choose to live only for what this world offers, we are not living life as full as it could be. We miss out on God's goodness that He has designed for us, His children.

I can spend my life chasing after wealth and fame but that is not what gives me any worth. I am only valuable through what Christ has done for me. God has a different definition of success than what the world does. A Christian is counted successful because God has claimed them as His own.

Seeking after the approval of men to validate my self-worth is striving after the wind. It is pointless. God recognizes who I am, a sinner in need of a Savior. He loved me by giving His Son over to death for me. He loves me still by providing for me to show others His grace. He redeemed me to bring others to redemption.

Being God's child is my vocation. My accomplishments are not measured in dollars or promotions like our world says they should be. My accomplishments are measured by Christ's love and grace. Being God's child is not my accomplishment. It is His. I need to be content to be unnoticed in this world because I want my Savior to get all the recognition. That is what is most important in this life. Not me but Him lifted up.

To God be all glory.



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