What Jesus Did! 'Stuck in the Here and Now' — Luke 6:24

Friday, March 31, 2023

Merry Christmas!

We pray the Lord blesses you with the grace of Jesus' presence this Christmas!

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[Jesus continued,]
"What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now."
— Luke 6:24 NLT

Key Thought

So often we let our treasure become the things that are stuck "in the here and now." They do not have the power to sustain us in the life to come and may not last even in this life. There is a very real sense that Christians should live "in the here and now" with a sense of urgency and awareness, but not focused on the material things of the "here and now." We should be fully alive every moment because we know that what we do in this life matters for all of eternity. [1] However, we must learn to build our hopes on what is lasting and eternal, not what is fleeting and subject to decay. [2] Sorrows do await those who trust in their riches because those riches will not keep them from death, and those riches will not go with them in death. All the happiness that they will ever receive is what they experience on earth. They lose out on the glory of the Kingdom. Let's invest in treasures that last — love for God, love for his children, and love for his praise. These are things that we know last forever! [3]

[1] Matthew 25:31-46; Ephesians 2:8-10.
[2] Matthew 7:24-27.
[3] 1 Corinthians 13:8, 13.

Today's Prayer

O glorious God, give me eyes to see so that I can focus on what is truly important and not get distracted by the glitter of the fleeting fancies and temptations. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Matthew 6:19-21
  • Luke 12:13-21
  • Luke 18:24-27

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Illustration

Illustration of Luke 6:24 NLT — [Jesus continued,] "What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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