The most talented people in the world, who amass great wealth, and rarely give back, sit back in later years and wonder why, what does all this mean? They feel alone in a crowd because they avoided people for fear everyone is out to get what they have. Aggressive, adamant, and arrogant people assume they are placed on earth to get more, buy and sell more and control more. In this thinking more is never enough. Life as it is just doesn’t make sense in this thinking if at the end of it all, we die and leave it all behind, and that’s all there is to life. Nothing makes sense.
Talented people can also be middle to low middle class to the lowest of the poor, having little in the way of wealth and possessions and wonder the same thing about their seemingly senseless lives without God. Some people work hard, maybe at two or three jobs, trying to make ends meet. The family is ignored because of the long hours at work to pay for mounting debt. Tiredness leads to bad decision making and thinking, “I deserve this for my long hours so purchases are made of what they do not need with money they do not have and run up more debts that will take a lifetime to repay. They hoard when there is a crisis making sure there is more than enough for their family without thinking of someone else. It is so easy to become inner focused, selfish thinking, and arrogant when threatened by outside forces of change. Tiredness from working hard for very little in return because of bad choices foster fear, anxiety, and paranoia. Nothing makes sense.
But we cannot just look to the rich and assume the lack of integrity or lack of God in their lives. Some wealthy people live for God, give back generously, giving all the glory to God for their wealth. God makes perfect sense to them. They rely on God’s wisdom and direction. They look to Him in decision making that affects the people in which they can help with their wealth. Because of Jesus, they have been changed from the inside out and live to please God.
We cannot assume the poor and middle class have nothing to give. Poor and middle-class believers, young and old, have been proven to give more in relation to the percentage of income than most who have great wealth to give.
So, what does it all mean in life? What really and truly makes sense?
God and God alone. Without God, like the Psalmist writes and sings, NOTHING makes sense. The more we get to know God, our Creator, the One who knows all, is in all, knows us by name, and delights in the details of our lives, we discover there is NO ONE like our God! God makes sense of our lives. God provides, protects, nourishes, gives us wisdom in confusing times, and guides us into all Truth. God goes before us, behind us and beside us. There is no one like Him. Above all, God loves us, as we are. But He doesn’t leave us as we are because of His unconditional love. He teaches and encourages us, not to work harder, but smarter. “Be still and know that I AM God.” Only then will our lives begin to make sense. Obey His voice.
Because of knowing and believing Jesus work of salvation, reconciling us back to the God, who loves us so much He sent His Son to die for all our sins, life begins to make sense. We are changed in our thinking and behaving from the inside out and outside in. Life is not how much we make or possess but how much we love God back and love others the way HE loves us.
Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs
Psalm 16
A David Song
1-2 Keep me safe, O God,
I’ve run for dear life to you.
I say to God, “Be my Lord!”
Without you, nothing makes sense.
3 And these God-chosen lives all around—
what splendid friends they make!
4 Don’t just go shopping for a god.
Gods are not for sale.
I swear I’ll never treat god-names
like brand-names.
5-6 My choice is you, God, first and only.
And now I find I’m your choice!
You set me up with a house and yard.
And then you made me your heir!
7-8 The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.
9-10 I’m happy from the inside out,
and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
that’s not my destination!
11 Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
I’m on the right way.
TRUTH: I say to God, “Be my Lord!” Without you, nothing makes sense. Day and night I’ll stick with God; I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.
Proverb 10:22-32, The Message
Fear-of-God Expands Your Life
22 God’s blessing makes life rich;
nothing we do can improve on God.
23 An empty-head thinks mischief is fun,
but a mindful person relishes wisdom.
24 The nightmares of the wicked come true;
what the good people desire, they get.
25 When the storm is over, there’s nothing left of the wicked;
good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren’t even fazed.
26 A lazy employee will give you nothing but trouble;
it’s vinegar in the mouth, smoke in the eyes.
27 The Fear-of-God expands your life;
a wicked life is a puny life.
28 The aspirations of good people end in celebration;
the ambitions of bad people crash.
29 God is solid backing to a well-lived life,
but he calls into question a shabby performance.
30 Good people last—they can’t be moved;
the wicked are here today, gone tomorrow.
31 A good person’s mouth is a clear fountain of wisdom;
a foul mouth is a stagnant swamp.
32 The speech of a good person clears the air;
the words of the wicked pollute it.
WISDOM: God’s blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God.
Be still and know I AM God.
Be still and know I AM.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
In Jesus Name, Amen. I believe.
Everything makes sense with you, Lord God.
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 