I day for giving of thanks, Father. Were we of a mind to make it not just this fourth Thursday of November but every day as we think of You and the blessings which You richly pour out on each of us. May we not forget.
Luke 21:34-38 (<<click here to read the passage)
Though I don’t watch a whole lot of them, I do enjoy movies. Adventure movies pique my interest. In a few of them, characters die rather than let go of what they have strived so long to obtain. It usually is some great treasure to which they have gone to great lengths to finally hold in their hands. And in the end, they must relinquish their hold on their treasure or perish with it.
One film of fiction that stands out in my mind is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. At the end of the movie a leading female character, finally holds in her hands the chalice that Jesus used at the Last Supper. She tries to leave with the treasure causing the structure in which they find themselves to begin collapsing around them. When the grail falls into a chasm in the floor, she plummets to her death trying to recover it. She dies solely because of her obsession.
As Jesus wraps up His discourse on what the last days of earth will consist of, He proclaims,
…be on guard, so that your hearts are not weighed down and depressed with the giddiness of debauchery and the nausea of self-indulgence and the worldly worries of life… v34 AMP
Here’s a little expansion of our understanding of a few words in this passage,
Depressed – unhappy, miserable, despondent
Giddiness – frivolous
Debauchery – excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures
In our lives today many are delusional, seeking some sort of happiness and fulfillment no matter what path it takes them down. They frivolously immerse themselves in all kinds of sensual pleasures – you name it, they’ve tried it! – to lay hold of the elusive treasure which the seek…but to no avail. And unfortunately, many lose everything in the process, their livelihoods, their families, their sanity…even their lives. All in the pursuit of that one great reward.
We all have a choice to make. A reward beyond our wildest dreams is easily within our reach but we stubbornly wish to seek it on our own and reject what will truly bring fulfillment and eternal satisfaction.
Jesus has paid the price…with His very life’s blood. It cost Him everything, but it costs us nothing but giving ourselves over to Him. We each have but one life to live.
And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:27-28 NLT
The question we all must answer – for it is no one else’s responsibility to do so, we each must answer for ourselves – we must decide if we will follow Jesus…or not.
We cannot wait with the hope of squeaking in at the end for we must not let it come on us suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who live on the face of all the earth. But keep alert at all times [be attentive and ready], praying that you may have the strength and ability [to be found worthy and] to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man [at His coming].” vs35-36 AMP
Don’t delay, choose wisely…
Nov 26th, 2020, Thurs, 6:48 pm
