Lord of the Things - Part 1

Luke 12:15b Jesus replied: “A man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses”.

On a luxury Cruise line ship gliding gracefully through flat seas along the coast of Baja California towards Mexico as the first rays of light on the horizon outline the deep blue, separating pristine evening skies from ocean peacefulness. Up early with a hot cup of coffee in a secluded lounge overlooking the panoramic display of God’s amazingly beautiful creation lying before my eyes, and taking a moment to tell the Lord how grateful I am for the natural beauty of His world (Rev.4:11), as a pod of dolphin leap across the bow and bring a warm smile and blissful feeling of tranquility. I am thankful for this family vacation, which in this fast pace world and times seems far too difficult to orchestrate with the adult boys life and schedules, but is satisfying and rewarding beyond proper explanation. The Lord has provided all, but I must always have this straight that it is the Lord that is praised, not my abilities and not the things. Someone once told me a great line that they would say to keep their priorities right that went: “Love people and use things; not use people and love things”. Since the greatest commandment is to love God and love your fellow man, I’d add: “Love your Lord God and use the things which He has created and provided in your life with thanksgiving. Things are not bad in and of themselves, but by the affections, desires and passions of our heart, we can pervert them into idols that we uncleanly love and addictively chase.

Mark 4:2-3, 7, 14 & 18-19 He (Jesus) taught them many things by parables, and in His teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. Seed fell among the thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear gain. The farmer sows the word (of God). The seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Back in the book of Genesis, God made everything, and when He finished said that all His creation was very good. When sin entered the world, so did the sinful desires of the flesh that lure the heart’s longing and adoration towards the creation and away for our loving Creator God. We live in a physical world, but must never lose sight of where it all came from and guard our hearts from coveting and idolatry, keeping the Lord Christ rightfully on the throne in the temple of our heart, mind and soul within us. Reformer Martin Luther wrote: “Idolatry is not only the adoration of images, but also trust in one’s own righteousness, works and merits, and putting confidence in riches and power.” Sin has produced a battle between the physical, with self-centered passions and a necessity to possess things that God never intended, and the spiritual relationship with our Creator God. Some have life’s focus completely on self, gain and profit in the things of creation and lose sight of the one who created and provided it all. But there are also the ones who craftily, but naively, fool themselves into believing that they can have it both, two masters, in God and the hedonistic materialism of things, on the throne of their heart. Who and what do we truly depend upon? From the love of God to the love of ___________________ (fill in the blank – use extra paper, if necessary). Know that they are all just temporal worldly thorns.

I'll pick this up again on the next past. Enjoying Mazatlan with the family today.

In Christ, Brian