It's All Just a Vapor

Jeremiah 15:13 "Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder, without charge, because of all your sins throughout your country."

Like many, these turbulent times that we live in makes me wonder just how much of what I have worked hard to save will be left. It has become a sickening thing to look at any investments that our family has because with each passing day it seems as though there is less and less there. How sad I feel for those who are nearing retirement only to discover that what they had counted on - is gone. Like a vapor.

Yet, this ought not to surprise those of us who believe the Word of God to be true. Time and time throughout the scripture God has warned against spending that which you do not have, being a borrower, seeking the treasures of this kingdom rather than the kingdom of heaven. Yet, we all go around downcast because what we thought was a sure thing - isn't quite so sure.

Just where is my heart now - in the midst of all this chaos? Am I wallowing in worry, wondering what I will have when I retire? Really, where does it ever talk about retirement in Scripture? Did Paul retire? Did he plan to rest on his laurels when he reached the ripe old age of 65? Some how I doubt it. He was a pretty big proponent of that "if you don't work you don't eat" theory. What exactly am I looking forward to? Is it just sitting around, doing nothing? Or am I looking for ways to be freed up so that I can serve God in a more full-time capacity?

Then I stop and think about that. How can I even contemplate serving God full-time when I am not all that faithful about serving Him part-time. I mean, after all aren't we supposed to be serving Him with our lives day in and day out in the capacity that we are in? Oh I have so many questions about my motivation for doing things. What is the underlying reason for what I do? Is it for my own ease or am I looking for ways to share and to help those that are less fortunate than myself. What exactly am I working toward?

I long to be right minded. I long to really get serious with my relationship with God and to put away the worries about things that really do not matter. There is no guarantee that anything that we have saved for from a financial sense will be there when we go to use it. In the meantime, we ought to be more frugal in the ways that we live so that we can have an open hand to help others. After all - how many coats do I need? How many pair of jeans can you wear? How many houses can you live in? How many? How many?

Father, forgive my selfish heart. Forgive me for looking at the government or the financial industry as a source of security. Until I realize that all that I have comes from you I will continue to be affected by the vapor that is our bank balance.