#DailyDevotion If You Win The Lottery Chances Are You Will Blow It All
Ecclesiastes 5:10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
Jesus has said Mat 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money (wealth).” It is also written, 1Ti 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
Now there is nothing wrong or evil with money or wealth. It has a purpose in life. It is meant to serve us as a means for being rewarded for our work and as a means to get things we need we ourselves cannot produce. But when any good thing in creation becomes our Good Thing, that is the object of devotion from whence we seek every good, that thing becomes our god and all gods need to serviced, worshipped and sacrificed to. When we start looking to good things, instead of God to provide us with every good, like money or wealth, we have fallen away from the faith. We have become idolaters.
The Preacher in today’s text tells us if you make wealth and money the object of your love, it will never satisfy you. You will in essence become a money addict. It will the dominant thing ruling your heart, mind, soul and strength. If you love anything or anyone else, they will become secondary, including Jesus and your family. You will sacrifice all to have it. You will even commit sin against anyone to keep it and to get more.
When wealth and money are your idol, you will never keep it. It will always be slipping through your fingers. When it does increase in your pocket, wallet or bank account, your expenses will increase with it. You will watch it to continually be drained from you. You may have a full stomach, but if you have been serving wealth instead of God you will not sleep well. Something will always be bothering you because something will always be clamoring for your wealth. But if you work hard and honestly for your wealth and keep God and Christ as that which holds your love and you serve them with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, you will sleep well, whether you have little or much.
It is also written, Heb 13:5 “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Jesus, the Lord has given you this promise, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Why are you worrying so much about having enough if you believe this promise? Is not Jesus enough? Has he not promised to take care of you? But maybe you don’t believe this. Change your mind. Believe and be at peace.
Gracious Father in heaven, Jesus has told us not to be anxious for you know what we need and will provide us our daily bread. Give us content and faithful hearts that we may look to Jesus for every good and not fall into the trap of loving money and looking to it for every good. Forgive us our idolatry and give us steadfast faith in you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.