Bible reading: Exodus 16-18; Matthew 19:16-30
Memory verse: “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:23 (KJV)
The desire to be rich is very strong in almost every human such that we can go to any length for it. Being rich, it has been argued, makes life a lot easier as one can now easily access so many good things in life. However, speaking to His disciples Jesus said, “…That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 19:23 (KJV). Why is this so?
Jesus has always emphasised on giving our whole attention to the kingdom of God. He gave us this through a parable in Matthew 13:45-46 (KJV), “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: [46] Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Because of the importance of the pearl to the merchant he sold all he had and bought it.
This was the same thing the disciples of Jesus did when they recognised Him as the messiah spoken of in the bible. They abandoned family, business and everything they had to follow Jesus. This is in line with what Jesus said in Luke 12:34 (KJV), “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” For many people who are rich, their treasure tends to no longer be on the kingdom but on their material riches. Hence, their hearts are now far from the kingdom.
The kingdom of God is first about your heart and then other things follow after. This is because the heart is the man. So many rich people follow Christ but not with their whole heart which negates the most important commandment in the bible as revealed by Jesus to a lawyer in Matthew 22:37 (KJV), “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” This is only possible when your treasure is in God.
Is it good to be rich? Yes! But God does not want us to be taken over in our heart by the crave for riches. Rather, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
Prayer: Father, open my heart to receive You fully and keep it that way till the end in Jesus name.
Bro. Worthmore Aghanenu