Some days it seems that from the moment we wake up until our heads hit the pillow, we are bombarded with lies. Our media/advertisement addicted society constantly entices us with empty promises….and we often believe them:
“If only I looked like….
“If only I had….
“If only I could eat & drink….
“If only I could wear….
“If only I could have sex with….
“If only I could experience….
“If only I had more money….
….THEN I WOULD BE HAPPY”
I wonder…if an alien from outer space came to America today and formed an opinion about our values by watching TV & movies, reading the news, watching us live…if it might come to the conclusion that we were all addicted to indulging ourselves with things that don’t satisfy us.
Ultimately, true fulfillment cannot come from circumstances, things, places, pleasures, experiences, even relationships. We chase these things because we were made to pursue fulfillment, and we’re suckers for counterfeits! We were created to find fulfillment in active partnership with God. Jesus and His early followers had much to say about this:
“The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…” (Paul, in Titus 2:11-13)
“Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (Paul, in 1 Timothy 6:6-10)
“So I tell you, don’t worry about the food or drink you need to live, or about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. Look at the birds in the air. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds. You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it. And why do you worry about clothes? Look at how the lilies in the field grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers. God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today but tomorrow is thrown into the fire. So you can be even more sure that God will clothe you. Don’t have so little faith! Don’t worry and say, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ The people who don’t know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows you need them. The thing you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Jesus, in Matthew 6:25-34)
“Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (Jesus, in John 4:14)
