Bigger Barns

Luke 12:20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

We can build up a living reputation, but only God can redeem a life. We can be ambitious and successful, but in the end, it’s only what is sacred and eternal that will remain. It’s a dilemma that everyone faces – do I build up my resources to live well in retirement, or do I share the blessings God has given me to edify His church and His world? Do I push myself to growing my nest egg for the future, or do I pledge some of my money for the future well-being of the church? Again, there’s no easy answer; whatever we choose, we will be held accountable by God.

That’s why this parable about the successful farmer stings us each time we read it. We all know that the farmer in the story is really everyone of us. We’re all busy building bigger barns, trying to get one step ahead of the rest, and aiming to have more at the end of the year when we started, but God warns us each and every day, this may be our last.

Every year, our church loses people to death. Not one of us lives forever, and sometimes people make plans so that their families will be looked after and financially well-off. But as we head towards that one last day, have we taken time to leave something for the church, for God’s work and Christ’s ministry? Or have we been so busy building barns that we’ve neglected to do so? After all, what has God ever done for us that we should leave Him something behind?

Prayer: Lord God, by the end of this year and certainly by the end of this decade, some of us who are reading this devotional may no longer be here on earth. Hopefully, we will have made the necessary arrangements of honoring You with what we leave behind. Keep us from building bigger barns all of the time and help us to build a bigger church around the world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen