Stress Test Devotional May 4
May 04, 2024
LUKE 12:15-21 | 15 And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” 16 Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be
merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have
prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
Why does God expect such a high return on investment (ROI)? Because resources are a tool for building the kingdom of God, and nothing is more important than the renewal of creation, the restoration of human lives, and the triumph of God’s love and justice. Further, since money can’t provide any ultimate peace or security, preserving it has no final impact at all. Having larger barns, stock full of stuff, doesn’t seem a wise strategy in light of our short lives and certain demise. Nothing we own now will be ours in the future, absolutely nothing, except the things we accomplish for God. Those things will be permanent treasures, in heaven.
What heavenly treasures have you accumulated?