No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. (Matthew 6:24, NLT)
Money is something that often occupies our minds. We think about it. We worry about it. We strategize how to get more of it.
When we come to church, we talk about prayer and worship and relationships. But something that we are sometimes reluctant to talk about is money. Yet, when we read the Bible, there is much that is said about money. Jesus talked about money as much as he talked about anything else.
If our faith is to be relevant to our lives, it must address the things that are relevant to our lives. So the fact that money is relevant to our lives means we must address it. We cannot separate our life from faith.
Money is a litmus test of our devotion to Jesus. We will surrender our lives to Jesus. We will give him our time, our devotion, our worship, and more. But while we give him everything else, the one thing we often keep to ourselves is our checkbook and wallet. Money is the one thing that we have the most difficult time letting go. Therefore it becomes the one thing that stands in the way of a more vibrant and abundant relationship with God.
Hold your hands closed with a tight fist. This is what we do with our money. We hold on tight so that we do not let go of it. But when our hands are closed, it prevents us from receiving into our hands. We need to open up to receive. The tighter our grip, the more difficult it is to open up. God wants to pour his grace into our lives, but we often have such a grip on our money that we are not open to receive.
It is the reason that Jesus tells us we cannot serve two masters. We will be dedicated to one or the other. Which do you love the most? Jesus or money? This week we will be discussing the place of money relationship with Jesus and how we can loosen the grip money has on us so that we can receive greater things God wants us to receive.
Reflection
- How does your attitude and use of money reflect your devotion to Jesus?
- How can you be more faithful in the management of money?
Prayer
Lord, thank you for your abundant blessings. Thank you for giving me everything I have. Thank you for the money I possess to share, to save, and to spend on my needs and wants. Give me your wisdom that I might manage this resource in the way that you desire so that I might live in joy and contentment. Amen.
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