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"But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'"
(Luke 12:20)
The words of Jesus in this parable in our verse for today that jumped out to me are "those things". This is a reference to the rich man's possessions, the crops he had harvested that would guarantee him a life of ease and relaxation. He was set for life without a care in the world... or so he thought. He died and had to give an account for his life before God.
This week in our devotions, we are discussing what it means to hold too tightly things we should not. If we are always gripping and squeezing the blessings that God has given us, then we will not be able to open our hands and bless others. Blessing God and others is the only way to live! It cuts against the world's philosophy to gather all you can for yourself. Being a conduit of God's resources entrusted to us is such a better and more fulfilling way to live.
Yesterday, we looked at Charles Stanley's list of six things people grip very tightly to their detriment. He adds two more: timing, and anything that is of great value to us. By timing, he refers to deadlines we put on God. We grow tired of waiting and try to make God respond to us when we want Him to. I don't know if you have discovered this or not, but God works in His own timing, not ours. He is never early, and He is never late. Stanley said, "It is foolish to tell the originator of time what your time limits and expectations are. God is not obligated to your schedule." He is always perfectly on time. We are wise to hold our timing and expectations loosely and be content to wait on the Lord to come through when He wants to come through for us.
The last thing Dr. Stanley taught that we hold too tightly is whatever is very valuable and has our attention. This may be what you own, like a home, car, bank account, or any number of things. But ask yourself, what is the most valuable thing in your life? You and I can lose everything except for the most precious thing, and that is our relationship with Jesus. We must not lose that! The most valuable thing in your life that is tangible is the Word of God; everything else will perish, or you will leave it behind. Your casket will not be loaded with money or diamonds, because you simply cannot take it with you. I recently visited two men who are battling for their lives as they suffer from cancer. Their family and loved ones were gathered around them, and no one was thinking about worldly possessions.
The man in Jesus's parable reasoned with himself and not God, and he drew wrong conclusions and made bad decisions: "I will build more barns." The world's way is to accumulate all you can. Stanley gave biblical examples of those who held tightly to the wrong things: Judas saw Jesus but held onto what he, Judas, wanted Jesus to be. He also gripped tightly that which is a temptation to all: money. Pilate was afraid of the disapproval of Caesar, and when they accused him of being no friend of Caesar, that pierced him, so he delivered Jesus over to be crucified. Saul chased David and tried to kill him with javelins and an army. He could not surrender that desire to kill him because of jealousy. Peter told Jesus that He would not be killed. But Jesus sharply rebuked Peter for his wrong thinking.
When we hold onto our will, we lose what God wants us to have. I have seen this in parents whose kids want to enter full-time vocational ministry. They desire to serve the Lord and not pursue what their parents wanted for them. It eats away at these parents and can destroy the relationship they have with their children. This is so sad, and it does not have to be that way. When we let go of what we want and hold tightly to what Jesus wants for us, it always (and I mean always) turns out best!
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