DAY 12: Riches . . . and More

Posted on Feb 11, 2016 in Devotion: Gather. Equip. Send. |

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

(2 Corinthians 8:9)

Often times people aspire to achieve riches. They work hard. They invest wisely. They save prudently. All so that they may bask in the comfort of their richness.

Rarely, if ever, do you see someone start at a point of wealth and methodically, purposefully divest themselves of such wealth – to the point of poverty – in order for someone else to benefit from their wealth. That would be the great reversal.

But that’s what Jesus did.

Jesus left the mansions of heaven – the glorious splendor of being in the eternal presence of the Father and the Spirit, being in the presence of the cherubim and elders that surround the throne of God. He set it all aside . . . for awhile. He set it aside in order to come to earth. He was born a man. He lived among humanity. He touched people’s wounds. He walked their paths. He healed their hurts. He even died your death. He exchanged His holiness for your sinfulness.

“Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed”

(Isaiah 53:4-5).

In doing all of that, Jesus divested Himself of His “riches” . . . so that you could become rich.

And so, rich you are.

The world tends to measure richness in terms of financial and/or material accumulation. And while you have received various measures of such worldly wealth, there is yet a greater richness you have received – forgiveness, salvation, a promised inheritance in heaven. And yet, one day, as a result of God’s grace and mercy in Christ, you will find yourselves in the very real presence of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit – eternally. You will encounter six winged seraphs and look upon the holy of holies in all their splendor.

To live life today with faith in the promise that one day all the “glorious riches” (Ephesians 3:16) of God will be yours, is a richness that surpasses anything imaginable this side of heaven.

As you consider the material wealth at your disposal today, and as you reflect on the spiritual wealth you have now and for all eternity, there is no comparison. You are indeed richly blessed!

As your church considers the capital campaign before you and as you pray about your opportunity to offer your generosity towards it, consider all of your riches – material and spiritual. As you pray about that, keep in mind that

“. . . yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich”

(2 Corinthians 8:9).

Oh how rich you truly are!