The Daily Guide-The Daily Devotional grow. pray. study. at The Resurrection United Methodist Church in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Tuesday, 10 November 2015 - "What you can’t take with you"
Daily Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:8 (9) But the greatest advantage to the country is when the king makes himself a servant to the land.
9 (10) The lover of money never has enough money;
the lover of luxury never has enough income.
This too is pointless.
10 (11) When the quantity of goods increases,
so does the number of parasites consuming them;
so the only advantage to the owner is
that he gets to watch them do it.
11 (12) The sleep of a working man is sweet,
whether he eats little or much;
but the overfullness of the rich
won’t let them sleep at all.
12 (13) Here is a gross evil which I have seen under the sun: the owner of wealth hoards it to his own hurt.
13 (14) Due to some misfortune,
the wealth turns to loss;
and then if he has fathered a son,
he has nothing to leave him.
14 (15) Just as he came from his mother’s womb,
so he will go back naked as he came,
and for his efforts he will take nothing
that he can carry away in his hand.
15 (16) This too is a gross evil, that in every respect as he came, so will he go; thus what profit does he have after toiling to earn the wind?
18 (19) Also, everyone to whom God has given riches and wealth, along with the power to enjoy it, so that he takes his allotted portion and finds pleasure in his work — this is a gift of God; 19 (20) for he will not brood over the fact that his life is short, since God keeps him occupied with what will bring him joy.
Reflection Questions:
The writer of Ecclesiastes had watched human life closely, carefully and unsentimentally. In verse 10, he noted the painful irony that “the money lover isn’t satisfied with money.” Verse 15 stated more poetically the same truth as the prosaic English phrase “you can’t take it with you.” Perhaps most important, he found that true joy and satisfaction in life come as God’s gift to us (verses 19-20).
Lord God, you have given me the gift of this Tuesday. Accept my thanks and praise, and go through this day with me, filling every moment of it with your steadfast love. Amen.
---------------------Insights from Brandon Gregory
Reflection Questions:
The writer of Ecclesiastes had watched human life closely, carefully and unsentimentally. In verse 10, he noted the painful irony that “the money lover isn’t satisfied with money.” Verse 15 stated more poetically the same truth as the prosaic English phrase “you can’t take it with you.” Perhaps most important, he found that true joy and satisfaction in life come as God’s gift to us (verses 19-20).
- Have you ever experienced for yourself the truth behind the words “Those who love money never have enough”? If so, what lessons did you take away from the experience? If not, how intensely do you work at trying to have that experience someday? What choices most help you to own the things you own, rather than letting them “own” you?
- True wisdom helps us accept our limits, and especially our mortality (which our society tries so hard to deny). The Message rendered verse 20 as “God deals out joy in the present, the now. It’s useless to brood over how long we might live.” In what ways have you learned to find God’s joy in the now? What are some ways you thank God for the good things in your life, free from fear of the future or envy of what others seem to have?
Lord God, you have given me the gift of this Tuesday. Accept my thanks and praise, and go through this day with me, filling every moment of it with your steadfast love. Amen.
---------------------Insights from Brandon Gregory
Brandon Gregory is a volunteer for the worship and missions teams at Church of the Resurrection. He helps lead worship at the Vibe, West, and Downtown services, and is involved with the Malawi missions team at home.
I heard a saying once. If two men pray for bread, and God gives one man two loaves and one man none, has he answered their prayers? This is a tough thing to hear, especially for those who have worked hard for their money. Wealth was once seen as a gift from God. Things have shifted, so we now see it as a gift from ourselves and our hard work. This subtle change has big implications.
As today’s passage alludes, it’s not a bad thing to enjoy wealth, specifically; it’s a bad thing to chase after it at the expense of other things. The ability to make money is a gift, and just like any other gift from God, we must use it responsibly.
If someone has the gift of encouragement, it would be foolish not to share it with others. If someone has the gift of prophecy, it has no meaning except to share it with others. But when it comes to the gift of making money, it’s a little harder to share. That’s not to say it’s impossible, or that a lot of people don’t do it–most of the very wealthy people I know are generous people.
It’s about the mindset. If we view our wealth as the fruits of our own labor, it’s a lot harder to see this as something that belongs, in part, to others that God has placed in our path. If we view it as a gift God has given us (and let’s be honest, that’s the correct way of looking at it), it becomes a lot more clear that we have a responsibility with our wealth.
We’re called to give 10% of our income to God’s purposes. The church is a great place to give that; but give where your heart is. If your heart is in missions, give to missions; if your heart is in business, make micro-loans to small business owners in developing countries, and re-invest the money when you’re repaid; if your heart is with children, consider using your resources in the areas of fostering or adopting, whether through doing or just donating; if your heart is in technology, consider donating to provide technology for inner city kids who wouldn’t otherwise have access to it. Again, the church is doing great work in all of these areas, but it’s more important to give than to worry about your giving, and it’s easier to give when you give where your heart is.
If you’re already giving 10% of your income, great–enjoy the rest. If you’re not, pray for God to put a cause on your heart–something you can gladly give to. Wealth should never be a cause for guilt, but it comes with a responsibility. Whatever wealth-gaining ability God has entrusted you with, use it responsibly.
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Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
I heard a saying once. If two men pray for bread, and God gives one man two loaves and one man none, has he answered their prayers? This is a tough thing to hear, especially for those who have worked hard for their money. Wealth was once seen as a gift from God. Things have shifted, so we now see it as a gift from ourselves and our hard work. This subtle change has big implications.
As today’s passage alludes, it’s not a bad thing to enjoy wealth, specifically; it’s a bad thing to chase after it at the expense of other things. The ability to make money is a gift, and just like any other gift from God, we must use it responsibly.
If someone has the gift of encouragement, it would be foolish not to share it with others. If someone has the gift of prophecy, it has no meaning except to share it with others. But when it comes to the gift of making money, it’s a little harder to share. That’s not to say it’s impossible, or that a lot of people don’t do it–most of the very wealthy people I know are generous people.
It’s about the mindset. If we view our wealth as the fruits of our own labor, it’s a lot harder to see this as something that belongs, in part, to others that God has placed in our path. If we view it as a gift God has given us (and let’s be honest, that’s the correct way of looking at it), it becomes a lot more clear that we have a responsibility with our wealth.
We’re called to give 10% of our income to God’s purposes. The church is a great place to give that; but give where your heart is. If your heart is in missions, give to missions; if your heart is in business, make micro-loans to small business owners in developing countries, and re-invest the money when you’re repaid; if your heart is with children, consider using your resources in the areas of fostering or adopting, whether through doing or just donating; if your heart is in technology, consider donating to provide technology for inner city kids who wouldn’t otherwise have access to it. Again, the church is doing great work in all of these areas, but it’s more important to give than to worry about your giving, and it’s easier to give when you give where your heart is.
If you’re already giving 10% of your income, great–enjoy the rest. If you’re not, pray for God to put a cause on your heart–something you can gladly give to. Wealth should never be a cause for guilt, but it comes with a responsibility. Whatever wealth-gaining ability God has entrusted you with, use it responsibly.
--------------------
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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