Is life comfortable with everything running smoothly? Then this is a time to fall humbly before God in thanksgiving and exercise faith to resist fleshly impulses. If you can “take life easy” life can be easily lost.
March 11, 2008, supper in Cusco, Peru: alpaca for me, chicken and potato soup for my daughter
“A rich man had land that produced good crops. He thought, ‘What should I do? I don’t have enough room to store my crops.’ He said, ‘I know what I’ll do. I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones so that I can store all my grain and goods in them. Then I’ll say to myself, “You’ve stored up a lot of good things for years to come. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.” ’
But God said to him, ‘You fool! I will demand your life from you tonight! Now who will get what you’ve accumulated?’ That’s how it is when a person has material riches but is not rich in his relationship with God” (Luke 12:16b-21 God’s Word©).
The problem in this parable is not “material riches”. Jesus taught that resting in pleasures, serving-self greed, and mere economic plans (without regard for Creator) is futile and fatal.
The wise choose to rest in the “riches” of a personal “relationship with God”. Then we experience the presence of God when life is good and when it’s not. A relationship with Jesus surpasses doctrine and theological theories, and exceeds “material riches” because we live this life as a journey towards The Celestial City (“Pilgrim’s Progress”).
“You have here no lasting home. You are a stranger and a pilgrim wherever you may be, and you shall have no rest until you are wholly united with Christ. Why do you look about here when this is not the place of your repose? Dwell rather upon heaven and give but a passing glance to all earthly things. They all pass away, and you together with them. Take care, then, that you do not cling to them lest you be entrapped and perish. Fix your mind on the Most High, and pray unceasingly to Christ” (Thomas à Kempis, “The Imitation of Christ”, Book Two, Chapter One).
November 23, 2015
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6 responses to “The Rich Pilgrim”
GraceandTruth
November 30th, 2015 at 16:13
Thanks. My sister in law has alpacas on her farm- I’d never considered before that they could be food! 🙂
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Wendy L. Macdonald
November 30th, 2015 at 15:29
I’ve noticed a lot of good books were birthed on the bed of suffering.
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nopew
November 30th, 2015 at 10:05
It is a very mild meat, and I liked it very much. It was too expensive to have a second time on my budget, but I am glad I tasted it!
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GraceandTruth
November 30th, 2015 at 02:39
amen. I just have to ask : what is alpaca like??
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nopew
November 30th, 2015 at 01:14
Yes, those many years Bunyan spent in jail, robbed of his “ministry”, gave us such great treasures of spiritual insights! And it is how we relate to Creator, not how well we line up with doctrine, that makes eternal differences. Thank you for being connected.
Peace
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Wendy L. Macdonald
November 29th, 2015 at 23:45
I always appreciate references to Pilgrim’s Progress. Such a wonderful classic of warning and encouragement. Your focus on relationship rather than religion is what brings me back to visit your blog.
Blessings ~ Wendy
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