Chose God, Not Self

   “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?  What could one give in exchange for his life?”  (Mark 8: 36 – 37)

    Seventy, eighty, even ninety years are but a blink of the eye when compared with eternity.  What does the world have to offer that would tempt one to throw away eternity?

   We strive to improve our life in this world and so we should.  God created us to be happy in this world and we are right to seek that happiness.  Trouble arises when we so focused on earthly happiness that it becomes more important than eternity and the love, joy, and happiness we are promised if we will serve our Lord.

   There is nothing wrong with working to achieve success in the world.  The problem occurs when that worldly success become more important than eternal success.  At our judgement we won’t be asked what car we drove or how big our house was.  We will be asked if we fed the hungry or clothed the naked.  If we ignore others only to benefit ourselves we will have traded eternal glory for passing fancy.

   Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters.  He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and mammon. (Matt 6: 24).  The pleasures of this world can become a false god, replacing the one true God in our lives.  The things of this world are fleeting and will pass away.  God is eternal, offering never-ending love and happiness.

There are many temptations.

We want the best of everything.

Teach us Your ways.

Only in You is there true happiness.

Amen