“Life in the kingdom of God is a ‘better and abiding possession.'”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – September 9, 2023
For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Hebrews 10:34, ESV
We spend an incredible amount of time managing, expanding, and protecting our possessions. From insurance policies and video doorbells to home renovations and next season’s wardrobe, so much of our lives are caught up in the never-ending flow of the modern economic machine. In truth, the health of our economy depends upon it! Governments will, at times, even print money and give it to their citizens in the singular hope, not that they save and wisely invest it, but that they go out and spend every last penny.
With this as real and ever-present as the air we breathe, can we have ears to hear and receive the words of Hebrews 10, which speak of those who “joyfully accepted the plundering of (their) property?”
Now, I don’t think this verse means we’re all meant to put a sign in our front yards that reads, “Free stuff- come and get it!” However, if someone were to come and plunder your home, or were the stock market to crash and years of savings disappeared overnight, how would you respond? Of course, it isn’t sinful to be upset or even disturbed by such events! We are physical beings with physical needs, and major disruptions can raise for us questions of provision and care. Yet if those concerns turn into despair and the feeling that you’ve lost everything, it might be an indicator that your vision and hope is set, not on the eternal kingdom of God, but on the cares of this world that are here today and gone tomorrow.
Life in the kingdom of God is a “better and abiding possession.” Though unseen and hoped for in the present, it is the home and destiny for which you and I were made, and where we must set our hopes and deepest desires. It is for this reason that we must cultivate a habit of daily undistracted time with our Lord in prayer and adoration. It is in these moments that we gain this eternal vision, reorient to the life of his kingdom, and as a result, learn how to faithfully navigate the waters of this earthly life, grateful for his provision and care, yet longing with anticipation for the better possession to come.
Prayer
Father, keep our hearts free from the love of money and earthly possessions, instead filling us with an unwavering longing for the life of your coming kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
In what ways might your earthly possessions have an unhealthy hold on your heart and mind?
Related Reading
Matthew 6:24; Luke 12:33-34; 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Worship Resource
Kari Jobe: Be Still My Soul
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