Indestructible soul
“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Luke 12:4-5
Your soul is indestructible! That’s what Jesus said in today’s verses. He is continuing on from yesterday’s passage about the hidden things. The world is messed up, but we do not need to be afraid of it’s outcome or ours for that matter. However, Jesus said what we should fear is the One who can destroy both soul and body. Yet, surprisingly, most people in the world do not even consider God let alone fear Him. We don’t need to look any further than the latest headline to see the evidence of that.
Jesus told a story in verses 13-21 about a rich fool. The man had so much stuff, he had to expand his storage to hold all his goods. Then he told himself he could take it easy because he was stocked up for many years. Kind of like his retirement plan. He planned to take it easy and enjoy his life. The only problem with that was God came along and said, “You’re a fool, you should have considered what you were really put on this earth for, but because you have stored up many possessions, who knows who will get them now. Tonight, I’m requiring your soul to give account of your life on earth.”
It didn’t matter what the man had accumulated during his lifetime, and it didn’t matter what he possessed at the end of his life. What did matter was what he did with the life God gave and planned for him to live while he was on the earth. The story is sobering and thought provoking mostly because it’s the same plan most people have today. The world mentality is to work until a certain age, save up, retire and collect social security benefits, then enjoy their remaining days on the earth. I’m not saying this concept is bad, we should be good stewards of the things and employment God gives us, but it is not all to be consumed and stocked up to see how early in life we can find our ease. When Jesus told this story, he told them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Life is more than just accumulating wealth and things. Goods and possessions are not bad in themselves, only when they become our life’s focus and ultimate goal.
Instead, let’s consider and realize that the time we are given here on the earth is the shortest time we will ever live. This time up against eternity is almost invisible. It is like a blip on a big screen. This time does however, determine where and how our eternal soul will spend eternity. The point is we do not need to be afraid of what is going on in the world today. We do not need to be afraid that we will not have enough tomorrow and we do not need to worry that there will be no social security benefits by the time we are old enough to collect. Instead, we should fear the One who can require our soul at any given moment and be focused on getting in line with the plan that He has for our days here on the earth. That alone will determine how and where we spend our eternity.
Today I want to encourage you to consider where you are laying up your treasure. Is your primary focus on storing up in your bank account so you can take your ease here on the earth? Or is your plan to walk out the full number of your days following the lead and plan of your Heavenly Father by completing down to the last detail the assignment He has for you? Talk to God today and thank Him for the life and time you have been given to walk this earth. Ask Him for the strength to walk out His plan and purpose for you here and determine to make all your days count for God’s eternal Kingdom!
If you have never received God’s gift of salvation and eternal life with Him, do that today by praying this prayer from your heart: God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior. I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me. Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today. I know Your Son, Jesus died for me. I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward. I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen
Today’s scripture reading: Luke 12:4-21
4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God.
7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God.
9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
10 “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.
11 “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say.
12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.
17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’
18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’
20 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?’
21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
The Daily Dose 