DAY 17

Deposits

“So is he who lays up treasure for himself,
and is not rich toward God.” — Luke 12:21

The parable of the wealthy farmer concludes with this remark by Jesus, which while brief says so much about us.  
 
We are so very concerned about the cares of this lifetime, and for good reason sometimes. But the Lord says in the same discourse that God knows your needs and will take care. The issue is not our need, our anxieties, or our challenges. The concern here is the welfare of our relationship with God.  
 
Jesus critiques the farmer for being occupied with the expansion of his own business while ignoring and overlooking the health of his own soul.
 
And so Jesus says, “…not rich toward God.”  I don’t want to be that guy!  I want to be rich toward my Heavenly Father.
 
How do I do that? He certainly is not talking primarily about finances. He is talking about the awareness, the seeking, and the prioritizing of one’s heart to a relationship with our Creator. And right along with that is the sensitivity to people in need. The pursuit of wealth without a concern for others bankrupts your soul.
 
Prayer and fasting helps me keep focus on my God and not on my stuff. It is like making deposits into my relationship with the Father. It makes me “rich toward God.”