Daily Devotions
Short-Sightedness
Title: Short-Sightedness
Reading for July 19: Isaiah 15-19
In that day their strong cities will be like the deserted places of the wooded heights and the hilltops, which they deserted because of the children of Israel, and there will be desolation.
For you have forgotten the God of your salvation
and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge...
Isaiah 17:9-10
Did you know that most NFL players are broke or financially stressed after two years of retirement? (Sports Illustrated) How does someone go from being a millionaire to being broke in such a short amount of time? There are a multitude of reasons but what stands behind all of them is ignorance and short-sidedness.
We wouldn't be as foolish, would we? We would invest those millions. We wouldn't spend it all on the mansions, cars, clothes, and expensive jewelry. We would prepare for future and retire responsibly and comfortably.
And guess what? If we have done all of that and forgotten God, we are just as ignorant and short-sighted as those NFL players. Sure, we will have stretched out our wealth over decades instead of years, but there is no difference once we're dead.
If all we've done is heaped up riches for ourselves and forgotten God, we'll be just like ancient Babylon (ch 13), Assyria (ch 14), Moab (ch 15-16), Syria (ch 17), & Israel (ch 17). Our destruction will be certain and our judgment will be just.
Father, teach us not to trust in uncertain riches but in you who give us richly all things to enjoy. Give us a mind to be rich in good works, ready to give and willing to share.
