[And Samuel said to the people,] "Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty." - 1 Samuel 12:20b-21 (ESV)
Amanda and I are still getting settled into our house after our honeymoon. Translation: her stuff is all in its proper place and my stuff, well, I'm a guy, so, oh well. I'm glad she's patient!!!
One of my things that's still not put up is the box her wedding ring was in. The box is in the back seat of my car, on the floor, right behind the driver's seat.
Yesterday, I was getting out of my car, and, as I observed the ring box with "Diamonds Direct" clearly printed on the top for all the world to see, I thought to myself, "That ring box is really a temptation for somebody to try to break into my car." And then I got to thinking about how much work somebody might put into breaking in and stealing the box. And then I thought about how much they'd be willing to risk to steal the box, ya know, like going to jail. And then I thought that maybe they weren't really thinking about the risk at all because they were so eager to get the box that their vision of riches shut down their brain from thinking. And then I thought how sad all of that would be because of what's actually in the box.
Namely, nothing.
There's nothing in the box. Oh sure, it's a nice enough box, and it says "Diamonds Direct" on the outside, but there's absolutely nothing on the inside.
The nice box is empty.
Just like a lot of stuff that people chase in this world.
Today is a workday. What are you chasing after with your work today? In today's Bible verses, God clearly says through Samuel, "And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty." (1 Samuel 12:21 (ESV))
So what should we chase after with our work? God gives that answer too in today's Bible verses, "Serve the Lord with all your heart."
Passage after passage in the Holy Bible says that if we'll just trust God at the center of all things (Genesis 2), love God above all things (Matthew 22), and seek God first before all things (Matthew 6), then we'll be given everything else that we need and more!
So, have a great day with Jesus!
And remember to "not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty." (1 Samuel 12:20b-21 - ESV)
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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