A few minutes to write this morning.  …as I drove in to work this morning, noted the overwhelming full golden moon in the west.  Slowly did it sink towards the horizon.  But I could not help but be staggered by the beauty of the golden moon contrasted with the dark early morning sky and the garish city lights…the gleaming yellow loveliness of the moon overshadowed all else.  All praises to the One who made it so.

And…I suppose I have at least a couple minutes to write on my readings this morning?  Oddly enough(or not?!), my readings – as disparate as they were – had a common theme running throughout.  The love of money is a dangerous thing…for truly wealth is not all and it will flow away, as fickle and fragile as a moonbeam in your hand.  So why do we put our trust in money?  We have hope in something that is so much better, do we not?

A few words from the exceedingly chilling prophecies of Ezekiel(sadly I have not the time to write all the words…but you can read for yourselves Chapters 6 & 7 to get full context):

“Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations
to which they will be carried captive,
how I have been hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me,
and by their eyes which played the harlot after their idols;
and they will loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which
they have committed, for all their abominations.
Then they will know that I am the Lord;
I have not said in vain that I would inflict this disaster upon them…

All hands will hang limp and all knees will become like water.
They will gird themselves with sackcloth and shuddering will overwhelm them;
and shame will be on all faces and baldness on all their heads.
They will fling their silver into the streets and their gold will not be able
to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord.
They cannot satisfy their appetite nor can they fill their stomachs,
for their iniquity has become an occasion of stumbling…

Make the chain, for the land is full of bloody crimes and the city is full of violence.
Therefore, I will bring the worst of the nations, and they will possess their houses.
I will also make the pride of the strong ones cease, and their holy places will be profaned.
When anguish comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none.
Disaster will come upon disaster and rumor will be added to rumor;
then they will seek a vision from a prophet, but the law will be lost
from the priest and counsel from the elders.
The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed in horror,
and the hands of the people of the land will tremble.
According to their conduct I will deal with them,
and by their judgements I will judge them.
And they will know that I am the Lord.”

Sorry for the over-quoting.  But truly, what serious words are those.  Can your wealth save?  Can your luxuries satisfy?  Surely no.  And what devastating words are these: “According to their conduct I will deal with them and by their judgements I will judge them.”  That is what we all deserve, to be judged according to the full measure of our deeds.  Oh what bleakness is that.

Secondly…I also read in Acts 3…the account of Peter and John healing the lame man.  One line quite struck me:

“But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, ‘Look at us!’
And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
But Peter said, ‘I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you:
in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene – walk!'”

And just imagine that scene.  Put yourselve in the lame man’s place…as he first anticipated that these kind gentlemen were about to give him money…and then in that split second after they said “I do not possess silver and gold,” imagine his disappointment.  His face falls, his hope fails.  That split second of disillusionment and pain.  But then.  Peter continues speaking and utters that most beautiful name – Jesus Christ.  And as He heals the man through the power of God and changes this man’s life forever, what joy crosses that man’s face.  He has received physical healing, yes.  But of far more importance – eternity awaits! – he hears the name of Jesus and witnesses the power of God. 

Do we understand this?  We put so much faith and hope in earthly things – status, wealth, power.  We think – surely if I had enough money, all would be well.  Surely.  But these things never satisfy.  And so as the people of Jerusalem found out, all their wealth was as nothing in the face of their iniquities and the judgment of God.  So too is all our money worthless for wiping away the stench and filth of our sins.  Only One can take away our sins and cleanse us from unrighteousness and that is Jesus Christ, very God Himself.  So today, let us set aside our worries for the physical things of this world and instead set our eyes on Jesus, the true Author and Perfecter of our faith.  All else may fail us.  All else will fail us.  But our God never shall leave us nor forsake us – He will truly be with us and watch over us and care for us, all the days of our life.  The nearness of God is our good, for He has forgiven us all our sins.  Let us remember, let us rejoice and let us ceaseless love.