Thoughts for the Day

* The Parable of the Rich Fool by Rembrandt.

Jesus said, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

I have been enjoying a programme about homesteaders in the Alaskan wilderness and their innovative ways of planning for the arrival of winter. Before summer ends they need to finish any building work on their cabins, ensure their animals are securely housed, gather in the harvest crops, chopped up enough wood for the stove to last all winter, and stocked up the freezer with meat and fish (or canned, bottled or smoked it) to last for months. Sometimes every hour of the day, which can be as long as 20 hours, is taken up with ensuring survival during winter. Life in Alaska can be brutal and hard, and although there are times of festivity, survival is never far from their thoughts.

I guess most of us have never had to face such danger, and perhaps concern for our future doesn't kick in until we want to get married, or even until we think about retiring. Then we make great plans for the future, where we shall live and what hobbies and interests we shall take up. Sometimes sadly, this doesn't work out as we have seen with friends who become ill, or even die shortly after they stop work.

Jesus says we need to store up treasure with God. We need to put as much time and effort and work into our relationship with God as we do in making plans for our future.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You taught Your disciples
and You teach us
not just to plan for our physical lives
but to build up our spiritual lives,
to continue growing closer to You;
to ask forgiveness of our sins;
to pray for others;
to learn more about ourselves;
and grow in confidence as Christians
so that we may share our knowledge with others.
Amen.