Daily Scripture:
Luke 12:32 Have no fear, little flock, for your Father has resolved to give you the Kingdom! 33 Sell what you own and do tzedakah — make for yourselves purses that don’t wear out, riches in heaven that never fail, where no burglar comes near, where no moth destroys. 34 For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also.(Complete Jewish Bible).
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Reflection Questions:
We often see ads for RFID wallets and purses that block electronic signals to keep scanners from stealing our account numbers. That wasn’t an issue in Jesus' day. But he contrasted all types of human, earthly “wallets” or purses, which wear out, with putting our treasure in heaven. Amid almost weekly stories about data breaches, we may find it easier to think of God’s domain as the ultimate safe place, where our treasure can last for all eternity.
- Where do you keep the largest part of your “treasure”? Is it in a safe deposit box or bank vault, in your house or houses, parked in your garage or garages, or in an array of special events tickets or exotic travel destinations? None of those is “wrong,” so long as they do not devour so much attention and affection that they detach your heart from God’s gift of eternal life in God’s kingdom. In what ways are you depositing “a treasure in heaven”?
- Jesus said that for his “little flock,” there is no need to fear. God delights in giving us the kingdom. In Matthew 6:27, he added the practical observation that worry does little good. Can you recall things you spent a lot of time and energy worrying about that never happened? How does worry differ from wise foresight and precautions? What are some more fruitful, sustainable ways of facing life’s challenges than worry?
Lord Jesus, worry can be addicting. The more I worry, the more I seem to find to worry about. Guide me into a life shaped instead by faith and hope, trusting your eternal goodness. Amen.
Read today's Insight by Denise MersmannDenise serves as the Early Childhood Coordinating Assistant at Church of the Resurrection.
Recently I had a chance to spend some time considering the Five Love Languages and specifically how we apply them to expressing love towards our adult children. The idea comes from Gary Chapman's book The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts. Northfield Publishing; Reprint edition (December 11, 2014).
Dr. Chapman, a marriage counselor for over 30 years, identified five primary ways that people tend to feel loved and appreciated. The languages he named are quality time, gifts, acts of service, physical touch and words of affirmation.
It has been several years since I last thought about the love languages. It was very interesting to look at them and consider how I express love to others.
As I pondered Pastor Adam’s sermon, and the Scripture “For to whom much is given, much shall be required,” I realized that while my income level may not be in the top one-tenth of one percent (okay--it definitely isn’t), God has given me and my family wealth and strength beyond measure. God has shown God's love for me more abundantly than I could ever have imagined. But how am I showing God my love for Him?
Am I loving God through true “gifts”? As my actual dollars and cents income has increased, have I made appropriate changes in my giving? Our family could certainly make some lifestyle changes that would allow us to give more.
How about loving God through “quality time”? There are days when I rush through my devotion, or do prayer time on the fly or as I’m falling asleep at night. That isn’t quality time, and I certainly wouldn’t put spending time with my loved ones off until all the tasks of the day were done.
While we can’t actually touch God, He tells us that what we do for the “least of these, we do for Him.” I can speak my love for God through “physical touch” and “acts of service” when I feed the homeless, visit a nursing home or tutor kids in our partner schools.
And finally, does my life speak love through “words of affirmation”? Many times I have committed to “give all the Glory to God,” but I find it easy to take the credit, accept the accolades and celebrate my successes when I should be telling anyone who will listen that all I have done, all I will ever do is through God’s grace. Yes, much has been given to me and now I must step up and do what is required.
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- “Guard yourself against greed”
- Prayer Tip: What Would Jesus Say to the 1%?
- Jesus, an extremist for love
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- Amos an extremist for justice
- Or download this week's printable GPS.
©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
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