11-30-2023

Good Morning All,

        Matthew 6:20; “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

    A few years ago, we took some high school kids to the Black Hills for a concert.  We stayed in a cabin in the Lead- Deadwood area; the place where gold is lore.  Men would pack up, sometimes with their families, and try and stake a claim and try to strike it rich.  This is the thing that many see as part of the American dream; man strikes it rich through good luck and hard work.  Even though these stories of men panning for gold are legendary and part of our lore; successes were few and far between.  Most of the time, this dream ended in total failure; sometimes catastrophically. 

    Most came with little more than the clothes that they wore.  As the small amount of money, they had was spent, they would have to go to work for someone in order to fund their dream.  They often ended up as little more than serfs for the local supply stores.  Sometimes, if the husband was killed, his wife and family would have to try to go back to where they came from.  Sometimes, if the wife couldn’t afford to leave, she would often end up “working” in one of the local saloons.  The effect of “gold fever” was many times a destroyed life.

    We may not have “gold fever” but we many times place far too much emphasis on material items.  We measure our value by stuff.  What is always fascinating is that few ever have enough stuff.  No matter how much one has, there is someone who has more, and we want to have more as well.  This “fever” can, and often does, cause pain in families and distress in relationships.  It may not end with the tragedies of the gold rush days but pain and sadness.  When we place our hope in stuff, when our treasures are here on earth; we are seldom satisfied or content.

    Jesus gives us a treasure that no amount of money can buy.  He makes us wealthy beyond any human measure.  He gives to us eternal salvation; he gives the hope to face today because of the certainty of tomorrow.  He comforts us with his Holy Spirit.  His Word nourishes us and gives to us the rest that we need.

   So, if you find yourself in the downward spiral of wanting “more, more, more;” remember you will never be fully satisfied, you will never be completely content.  You will always crave more and worry about what you have; you will have no rest and even less peace.  Realize that it is the world that tells you it is all about the toys you have.  God tells you it is about the relationships you have; first with Him and then your brothers and sisters.  That is the measure for which we should strive.  We should look to how much we love and not how much we have.  God’s gift to us is the certainty of our eternity.  God’s gift is the gift of life.  It is the answer to the “fever” that greed can cause.

Father, grant me the wisdom to trust in your promise.  Help me to see that the world’s fever is only an illness.  Show me that your healing grace is all that will satisfy life.  Be with those who are spiraling out of control.  Bring them safely home, in Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret