"Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God." Luke 12:21
The well-known slogan for the Nike brand, "just do it," is a good reminder for believers to live intentionally for Christ. If you have been following along in these devotions this week, we have been talking about living on purpose. Many of us feel disappointed with our lives, sensing a gap between where we wish our lives were and where we actually are. This gap can often exist because we are not living out our God-given purpose. Living on purpose involves living for God and not this world, having consistent Christ-like character, investing our time, talents, and treasures in the Kingdom of God, and spreading God's message of salvation with those who do not know Christ. However, it is not enough to only know these things. We have to live these things out in our lives. We have to be intentional to change our lives so that we are actually living out our purpose.
Jesus knew the importance of intentional living when He was speaking to a crowd in Luke 12. He told a story to the crowd about a rich man who owned a very fruitful farm. He had so many crops that he did not know what to do with them. Because of this, he built a barn to store his crops so that he could relax, and stop farming and working as hard as he had been working. He did nothing valuable with his crops, planning to let them just stay in his barn. He was not intentional about using his crops for good. That day, God told the man in the story that he was foolish to store up all of his crops because he was going to die that night. By telling this story, Jesus challenged the crowd to be intentional with their lives, living purposefully for the things that matter. After all, we only have one life to live for God on this earth, so we must be intentional about living on purpose for what matters: God and His kingdom.
A few days ago, you were challenged in your devotion to make a list of the talents God has given you and how you might use them to serve God. You were also encouraged to commit to using one of those gifts this week. (If you have not made that list, take a moment to do so right now.) If you made that list, have you been intentional to use at least one of those gifts or did you simply consider how you can use your gifts without actually using them? If you made a list today, will you be intentional to use at least one of those gifts this week? As a reminder, you can sign up to serve on our App using the Decisions tab. Be intentional with your life, starting today, and live for eternity.
Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”
Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
