Lord what are my riches?

Minister: Revd. Jason C. Boyd

2^nd Sunday after Trinity, 21 June 2009

Pause for Prayer

Paying for the groceries with the money his mum had given him, Jeremy proceeded to pocket the change. When Viviane asked him to give her the change he refused point blank and put the coins in his pocket. However, the five pound note didn’t suit him and so he handed it to his mum saying, “Here, you can have the ticket.”

Young children have no concept of the value of money. If they had a choice between fifty shiny pennies and a one pound coin, they’d go for the pennies without any question. And a bank note certainly isn’t as interesting!

We soon learn that money has the power to help us possess. If we are honest, most of us harbour a desire to have a healthy bank account. This is why lotteries have such an appeal. They offer us the chance to get rich quick and to be able to get whatever we want.

There is nothing wrong with money in and of itself. It’s when the pursuit of money becomes the focus of our lives that it becomes a problem. Have you ever noticed that no matter how much money a person has they always want more? The more we have the more we spend and the more we need.

Christians are called to be happy with what they have. Loving God means that instead of chasing after things we are possessed by him to live in freedom. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 say, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered far from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”