“A certain rich man” was the subject of Jesus’ lesson on greed in Luke 12:14-21. The options available, he said, were to either “eat, drink and be merry” or “get serious with God.” All the in-between stuff is simply an attempt to hope for a grading on the curve. Paul the Apostle reiterates this message in 1 Cor. 15:32. Here’s the bottom line; "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you." That’s a quote from Augustine of Hippo, circa 398 AD. Yeah, he was a smart guy but he wasn’t the first to figure this out. Solomon, the King of Israel worked out the same supposition after a life of trying to have it ‘his’ way. The endgame discovered by this wisest of all people? “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” (Eccl 1:2)
Mostly, we are under the mistaken notion that what will make us happy, satisfied and complete is making that promotion, triumph with that romantic ideal, gaining the respect of the gang, losing the weight, earning the degree, closing the deal, or winning the lottery. Though these are not intrinsically bad things, they ultimately fail to give us what we hope and expect. Why is this? It’s because of the design specification articulated by Augustine. We were made for God. All the seeking and salivating for other things that take the place that belongs to Him alone is what the Bible calls idolatry.
There’s another myth that needs to be debunked along the way. The idea that “seeking first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33) means moving into a cloister, wearing sack cloth, and eating bread and water is not only incorrect it is antithetical to the command of Jesus as He gave His final instructions before his ascension. Rather than “hunker down” and “circle the wagons” our real mission is to do the exact opposite . . . “go out into the world” (Matt. 28:19) Equally, the expectation to do without that romantic hopeful or that pay raise to help meet the mortgage, is pointless. The truth is God is more aware of your needs than you are and indeed wants to meet those needs. In fact, that Matthew 6:33 verse makes it plain that all these things (our needs) are added unto to us when we put Him first.
So, what does it profit us to ask the “things” in our life to do for us what only God can do? When we exalt those things, put them on pedestals, sings songs about them, bow down to them, we make them into the idols mentioned in Ex. 20:3. Yet, when we acknowledge their presence and place them at the altar of our God seated above them, the order of design blossoms into purpose peace . . . that “peace which transcends all understanding.” (Phil 4:7) So, if you’re wondering why you have met most of your objectives, realized most of your ambitions, made as much money as you expected, and married the companion of your dreams (or not) and still are struggling with peace and contentment, try thinking about asking God to be your God and reorder your altar set up. And if you’re tentative about your prospects, check this out. God said it’s OK to test Him in this. (Mal. 3:10) What have you got to lose but your own misery and confusion?
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