TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5
Read: Colossians 3:1-10
Listen: Colossians 3
TODAY’S MESSAGE
The good news of Jesus spreads around the Mediterranean world. Paul, one of the early Jesus-followers, takes the Jesus-message to the city of Colossae. A few years later, he writes the new Jesus-community a letter. He starts by reminding them of their identity in Jesus. Then he transitions into telling them how their identity should change their lives. One of the things he instructs them to do is to put to death greed because, at its core, greed is idolatry. Paul says thinking that more will satisfy is like making an offering to a wooden or gold statute. Greed is a false god. Paul takes greed seriously and wants the Jesus-followers in Colossae to take it seriously too.
Paul writes to Colossae, but his words hit home with us. There’s something in our culture that trains our hearts to think more is better and that the next thing will satisfy or provide meaning. It’s a mental habit engrained in us from an early age. It shows up in many ways. Some of us are savers and think that a bit more saved is what we need. Some of us are spenders and believe the next thing we buy will lead to satisfaction. Greed is the sign of a longing in our hearts. But greed can never fill that longing. Only God can. The accumulation of more is a temporary satisfaction masquerading as a solution. God is the only being capable of filling the empty space in our hearts.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Open your journal and write “The Idol of Greed” at the top of the page. Spend some time reflecting on how greed shows up in your life. Make a list of the ways you find yourself thinking that more is better. At the bottom, write a prayer of confession to God admitting that your heart’s drawn to those things and asking God to draw your heart to him instead.
2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.
March is FASTING. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
