Preserving the Perishables
When you live 100 miles from the nearest city, you only get to really shop once or twice a month. And even at that, shopping becomes a bit of an ordeal. We know we will need the better part of the day. We know we will need to take our cell phones, so we can find each other in Super WalMart. We know we will need to check the cabinets and freezer and fridge and make a list of everything we are out of or will run out of before our next foray into the big city. And we know we will need to take ice chests, ice, freezer bags, etc. in order to insure our perishables make it home safely.
It is important to us that our food be healthy and safe to eat. It is important to us that we can use what we buy. Because it is important, we are willing to take extra time, spend extra money and put out extra effort. There are many "perishables" in our lives. They also have become important to us. Their importance in our lives and their elevated place in our hearts often cause us to take extra time, spend extra money and put out extra effort. Intellectually we know these things are indeed perishable and therefore expendable. But we often live and act like these perishable things are important treasures, eternal in nature. We willingly allow them to consume our time, our energy and our money. We willingly give them a place of prominence in our hearts. Because we have such a desire for the perishables, we find ourselves accumulating more and more of them until they possess us rather than the other way around. We step into a whirlwind of accumulate, maintain, accumulate, maintain, accumulate, maintain. And with each accumulation, more maintenance time is required. And so, being only human with only 24 hours in each day, we find we have to delete something from our frenzied lives. Prayer time and quiet time with God are usually the first to go, followed shortly by quality time with family, and then worship times. What seems to happen is we get so busy keeping up with and just keeping our "stuff" that we delete God right out of our lives. We dethrone Him from His rightful place in our hearts and gradually push Him completely out of our lives. We no longer behave like the free men and women Paul spoke about in Galatians. We behave like slaves----slaves to our stuff. Instead of devoting our time, money, energy, hearts to the eternal, living God, we choose to devote our time, money, energy and hearts to preserving the perishables.
This is a daily struggle for us. This is satan working to pull us away from God. We are not the only ones who are excited about a new house and a new car and a new job and new wardrobe. Satan is throwing a party, because he knows it will take our focus away from God. He knows we will have to work more hours to maintain our new stuff. He knows if he can just slip in a little pride and a little vanity,a little envy, he gets a little more of us. He knows there is a very good chance our priorities are going to change. He not only knows it--- he likes it.
Over and over again in the New Testament, we are reminded that satan is cunning and wicked. Again and again we are told to focus on the eternal rather than the perishable. We have to let God back onto the throne of our hearts. Stuff is just stuff, it burns and rots. But God is eternal. The Holy Spirit through Matthew said it better than I ever could. Matthew 6:19 - 21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where theives break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where theives do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also."
My friends, we have to simplify our lives so we have the time, energy and heart to glorify our God.
Peace
Neva
It is important to us that our food be healthy and safe to eat. It is important to us that we can use what we buy. Because it is important, we are willing to take extra time, spend extra money and put out extra effort. There are many "perishables" in our lives. They also have become important to us. Their importance in our lives and their elevated place in our hearts often cause us to take extra time, spend extra money and put out extra effort. Intellectually we know these things are indeed perishable and therefore expendable. But we often live and act like these perishable things are important treasures, eternal in nature. We willingly allow them to consume our time, our energy and our money. We willingly give them a place of prominence in our hearts. Because we have such a desire for the perishables, we find ourselves accumulating more and more of them until they possess us rather than the other way around. We step into a whirlwind of accumulate, maintain, accumulate, maintain, accumulate, maintain. And with each accumulation, more maintenance time is required. And so, being only human with only 24 hours in each day, we find we have to delete something from our frenzied lives. Prayer time and quiet time with God are usually the first to go, followed shortly by quality time with family, and then worship times. What seems to happen is we get so busy keeping up with and just keeping our "stuff" that we delete God right out of our lives. We dethrone Him from His rightful place in our hearts and gradually push Him completely out of our lives. We no longer behave like the free men and women Paul spoke about in Galatians. We behave like slaves----slaves to our stuff. Instead of devoting our time, money, energy, hearts to the eternal, living God, we choose to devote our time, money, energy and hearts to preserving the perishables.
This is a daily struggle for us. This is satan working to pull us away from God. We are not the only ones who are excited about a new house and a new car and a new job and new wardrobe. Satan is throwing a party, because he knows it will take our focus away from God. He knows we will have to work more hours to maintain our new stuff. He knows if he can just slip in a little pride and a little vanity,a little envy, he gets a little more of us. He knows there is a very good chance our priorities are going to change. He not only knows it--- he likes it.
Over and over again in the New Testament, we are reminded that satan is cunning and wicked. Again and again we are told to focus on the eternal rather than the perishable. We have to let God back onto the throne of our hearts. Stuff is just stuff, it burns and rots. But God is eternal. The Holy Spirit through Matthew said it better than I ever could. Matthew 6:19 - 21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where theives break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where theives do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also."
My friends, we have to simplify our lives so we have the time, energy and heart to glorify our God.
Peace
Neva
posted by Neva | 7:37 AM
14 Comments:
Stuff is just that, stuff!
Paul is a bit more Paulin-ish about this principle in 1 Corinthians 3:10-13 - more subtle, but still clearly stated. Fire will be the judge of what is built on gold and silver and what has been based on hay and stubble.
Stuff will be among those things that will NOT withstand the testing by fire. The only things that will remain are our spirits living with God, the gold and silver of our devotional service for Him, our dedication and love for Him.
So many need our resources just to maintain minimal necessities. God wants to use those resources for caring and helping the poor and needy.
So yes, as you say, we need to preserve not the perishables, but the imperishables; God's lost children and caring for those in need. Now that will withstand all the heat satan can try to lay on us!!
As usual, great post, Neva!!
Wonderfuly put, Neva. When we moved to TN and bought our home, we were so excited. Then a few weeks later we started thinking, maybe we should have bought a fixer uper house. Do we really need one like this? But then we started thinking- we can put this home to God's use. It is such a breathe of fresh air to stop and realize, we have everything that we need. God blessed us with our needs and there is nothing else we should want.
Neva, I compeletly agree with you...we need to simplify our lives.
-Martin.
I work with teens and trying to convince them that stuff is not happiness is a constant job. Thank you for your post,
Dan
The maintenance alone wears me out---you are so right.
I must change my focus and focus on the eternal, unperishables.
Thanks Neva
Love ya
Pat
Are y'all going to Nebraska for the funeral? If so, be careful, drive safely.
Pat
Having all things in common like the first century Church would really cut down on the attaining,maintaining cycle. Maybe thats what helped the Church grow. There was no mine and yours --everything was all ours. Maybe we would grow if we spent more time on body health rather than individual wealth. Just my two cents.
Carlos
Your reminder did not fall on deaf ears. For several months I have felt like I was running on a hamster wheel. You have clarified what the problem is--I have too much stuff. I was just thinking about buying a new car, I dont need a new car.I need to be content and grateful and thinking about eternal things. I appreciate the reminder. I am amazed how God puts just what I need to hear right here on this post today.
Thank you sister
Rachel
Neva
I am sorry about George--I am thankful he was a christian and you will get to see him again. That is one of the eternal, unperishable things--christian friends, even death doesn't destroy that relationship.
I am praying for all of you
Jean
Why do you think we work so hard to get what God has already promised to GIVE us?
Karli
There is a whole other take on this too--like the rescue the perishing song. I get where you are coming from but it would be a whole other blog if you wanted to do one.
Lyndsay
Be careful on your trip. Thank you for always taking time to share with us.
Love ya
Kel
Pat,
we are going to Nebraska. We are leaving early in the morning. The funeral is Saturday morning and we will leave right afterwards so Ned can be home to preach Sunday. Thank you for your prayers. I will email you when we get home.
Peace
N
Wow, if everyone could grasp this truth what a different place this would be. I never thought about it but you are right, satan is happy and rejoicing over every little thing we get that takes us farther away from God. And I too feel that we are on a hamster wheel.
We have to take care of eternal beings not external stuff. Good post
Eileen
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