May 4 - Never Satisfied

Today's Reading:
Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12
Hebrews 11:17-31
Psalm 132:1-18 
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Focus Verses:
Ecclesiastes 4:10-12
10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. 11 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? 12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.

Insight:
One by one, the writer of Ecclesiastes methodically dismantles the idols and false hopes of life. Money and possessions are among the meaningless things to love. Why love something that cannot satisfy? Why accumulate when there is never enough? Why make more to spend more? Don't treasures become junk once you realize they are nothing more than things to store or stare at? Who benefits? Who gets a better night's sleep—the person with nothing to lose or the person with an abundance of things to lose? What good is it to gain the whole world and lose your soul?

Response and Action:
I want to love and value the things that matter most. I want to put first the things that last. I want to live in a way that all I need is all I want. I will strive to be a good steward, I will not seek fulfillment in possessions. I will strive to be hard worker, but I will not put my trust in wealth. I will do all I can to be a fruitful servant, but I will not expect things to give me joy. I will endeavor to be responsible in my financial affairs, but I will not waste time worrying about loss. I will give thanks for the man blessings and provision I enjoy, but I will not make be deceived into thinking that life is about having an abundance of things.

O God, help me to be a good steward of all you have given me. Grant me the wisdom and the will to guard my heart, to feed my spirit, to stimulate my mind, and care for my body. Help me to seek first your kingdom and your righteousness. Help me to value and love the things worthy of value and love. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses: 1 Timothy 6:9-10
 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Resources:
Breaking the Idols of Your Heart
by Dan Allender and Tremper Longman