Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Uncertainty of Riches and Certainty of Faith

UV 1063/10,000 The Uncertainty of Riches and the Certainty of Faith
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
I Timothy 6 v 17

We need to say with spiritual authority to those who are rich in the possessions of this world not to be haughty, proud or highminded. We are not to esteem ourselves or look down on others on the basis of our financial position. It is better to trust in God from day to day than to put our trust in uncertain riches. Riches are uncertain for they can take wing and fly away. Riches are uncertain as it cannot satisfy the deepest longing of our souls. Many people focus on shoring up their finances and building up their asset and investment portfolio as they think that in a life of much uncertainty, riches gives them a hold on certainty. They want to build the foundation of their lives on something solid, precise and definite. But there is no certainty that we would even enjoy it for some time. There is no certainty as to who will succeed to our wealth once we die. There is no certainty that our successors will be worthy heirs.
Riches are uncertain as we do not know how circumstances will change. There was a certain wealthy man in the city who was known to me. He was considered one of the wealthiest in the country. When one of his kinsmen and employees told him that he was resigning and going to serve God, he made fun of him, saying that he would come to his senses once a bucket of cold water is poured over him. Suddenly, the rich man developed a stroke that kept him even from talking and after many months of treatment in different countries he did not improve. Before he died, his younger son died of a sudden heart attack and he attended that funeral. Indeed, as surely as we know the date of this day, today, as being so many years, months and weeks after the birth and death of Jesus, the only historical certainty is that Christ died for our sins and is alive today. The belief in this certainty can help us combat a legion of uncertainties- how long will we live, how will we live, how will we die, where will we go after death.. et al. As long as the day is known as today, faith in God as the ultimate provider will be alive.

It is God who has blessed us with all manner of gifts, blessings and provision. IF we are thankful for all the blessings and things we have in life, we will not have time or space to complain or worry about those that we do not have. As long as we hold on to our faith in the God who not only endowed us with life but gifted us with eternal life through His Son Jesus’s sacrificial act of redemption, He promises us to give us spiritual riches that neither moth or rust can decay or thief can steal. Such riches cannot take wing. He promises to also meet all our physical, financial, emotional and spiritual need according to His riches in heaven and on earth. The Lord wants His children to enjoy all things and all manner of blessings. He does not want us to be burdened with heavy labour in order to amass riches. He does not want us to be burdened with thoughts and worries about how to guard our wealth. He does not want us to be burdened with debt and financial worries.
Prateep V Philip

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