The Forward Day by Day Meditation for June 21, 2016

Matthew 19:23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.” 

The burden of wealth can be heavy to the spirit. Many in my culture are starting to understand this, but embracing this teaching of Jesus is a very slow process. The deceptive nature of wealth has deep roots.

We confuse material riches with spiritual blessings. It is hard for us to shake the notion that God will reward wealth to good, hardworking Christians. Whole institutions have been built on the theology of prosperity. Yet we have these words of Jesus, that maddening teacher of paradox and parable, who keeps flipping the paradigm. In this strange kingdom of Jesus, the losers rule.

What hold does money have in your life? Examine your spirit, be attentive to the way that money influences your desires and dictates the way you spend your time. The kingdom that Jesus taught is the way of liberation. It was meant to set us free.

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