Aligned Right!

A simple life in the Fear-of- God is better than a rich life with a ton of headaches. Proverbs 15:16 MSG

Better is little with the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord than great and rich treasure and trouble with it. Proverbs 15:16 AMPC

In a world where success and achievements are measured in physical and material terms, today's extract needs to be looked at again critically. The world's standards have become the popular yardstick for measuring everything we see. We define men by how they look, not by who they know. We define men by their present circumstances, not by their eternal journey. We see men from our own narrow prism, rather than how God sees them. No  wonder the world is in turmoil, and until we get the standards right, we will can never understand the full dimensions of God's purpose for our lives.

What makes a life simple: is it in outer possessions or inner Presence? A man can have the whole world, yet lack the most essential thing, which is the Presence of God. You can have the whole world at your feet, but make sure that God stands with you wherever you are. There is no crime in being rich, after all, God owns the earth and all its resources,  and he determines who and how he blesses. But be careful about how you define 'rich'; a man's life does not consist of the abundance of the things he possesses. In all my aspirations and pursuits, God has to take centre stage. He must guide my actions, thoughts and motives. His fear must be the motivating factor in all I do.

So, the right balance must be struck: I cannot afford to have the whole world and not have the true owner of all things in and with me. I cannot afford all the good things in life and not have the only One who can guarantee the end right from the beginning. I cannot afford to have the world around me and not have the Word in me. He alone can sustain all I am and have, and long after the world and all its false images have faded, he remains the same. So, as I go through life, I seek to enjoy all that God has on offer. I am his child and entitled to have all that his Life guarantees for me, but I am also careful to ensure that I go about it the right way. The end is near, and an account will be demanded of me. What would be my reason for everything I pursued? His time of favour is here.