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The wealth of the world is nothing compared to the gifts of God!

True Wealth

Psalms 108-113

I was in my early thirties when my future wife and I met. I had led the fun, carefree life of a bachelor until that fateful day when my eyes met hers and lightening struck.  I had never owned a home as a bachelor.  I was a perennial apartment dweller.  My wife, however, owned a two bedroom condo and I moved in with her after our wedding; actually, after the honeymoon.  Now, as a single man I didn’t deny myself much.  My paycheck was the only limit I had on spending and my credit card allowed me to even go beyond that.  It was only after the honeymoon that I discovered I had married a frugal woman and my days of wanton spending had come to an end.

As a bachelor I had established a particular image for myself and I rankled under the budgetary restrictions I now found myself under.  I would come home from work and look at the little condo we lived in and think to myself that we needed to live in a “nicer” place.  I started to view the place and the neighborhood as run down, and I was not a little dissatisfied.  My wife and I had been going to church together prior to our marriage and, of course, we went to her church.  This was good for me.  The fire of my faith had begun to smolder and her church helped rekindle that fire.  We still go to that church today and I continue to be thankful for the brothers and sisters in Christ who have helped Juli and I grow so much.

As that fire was rekindled I found myself praying and reading the Bible more.  I found myself getting active in my church.  A funny thing happened as I did those things; I became happier than I had ever been before.  One day in the midst of this growing fire of faith, I came home and was filled with happiness at seeing the little condo in which we lived.  I remember standing there looking at the thing thinking to myself “I’ve got it pretty good!  This condo is very nice and I could see Juli and I living here for the rest of our lives.”  I was full of joy and contentment.  Eventually we did move to a three bedroom home but I will never forget that moment of happiness and contentment with that little condo.

I was reminded of that day long ago by the 112^th Psalm.  The Psalmist writes of the blessings enjoyed by the man who “fears the Lord” and “delights in His commandments!”

Psalm 112

“1 Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
the desire of the wicked will perish!”

I think the guy who looked at that little condo years ago and thought he deserved better would have grabbed hold of verse 3 as a literal promise of worldly wealth for those who accept Jesus.  Why do we desire worldly wealth?  Is it because we think it will bring us joy, happiness, and contentment?  That same guy just a couple of years later saw the same abode as a great blessing and felt the joy, happiness and contentment supposedly found in worldly wealth.  How could this be?  I hadn’t gained anything in the interval had I?

Actually I did.  You see I had received the wealth God has intended for me.  Real wealth isn’t the stuff we struggle for in a vain attempt to be happy and content.  Right relationship with God is the real wealth that brings those much desired results.  It kind of goes back to that worshiping the creature rather than the Creator; one has no meaning in itself, the other means everything.  We think things will make us happy but trust me when I say there are many unhappy rich people out there.  What will bring us happiness and contentment is right relationship with God.

The man who is in right relationship with God will be calm in a sea of trouble.  Look at verse 7.  Such a man is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm and steady.  When you read the rest of the verses in this Psalm you will notice the many wonderful qualities the man of God possesses.  Are you that man?  Do you have such contentment and happiness?  Are you calm in a sea of trouble?  You can be.  You should be.  God intends you to have these gifts.  Receiving them requires that you start looking for them from Him rather than from the world.  What this world has to offer is misery and pain.  What God has to offer is fulfilling beyond belief.  Don’t settle for less than the riches God wants to bestow on you!

Have a richly rewarding day!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!