"Ride"

I’m trying to stay focused,

Avoid the hocus-pocus,

And live my life as simply as I can.

The world’s got its distractions,

Divided into factions,

But I just want to ride for Jesus’ brand.

And, yes, we always need cash,

But life can be a mad dash,

To gather wealth that we go out and spend.

The love of money ruins us,

But God corrects and prunes us,

It’s treasure up in heaven in the end.

And what will last forever,

And break this old world’s tether,

It’s what we do for others God will count,

Unselfishly we give it,

The only way to live it,

And with a seed of faith to move the mount.

You know the time is fleeting,

And soon we will be meeting,

Jesus when He comes down from the sky.

Just catch your horse and saddle,

Get off that fence you straddle,

And every day till then with Jesus ride.

“Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. But by doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life…” (1 Tim. 6:18-19, NLT)

The whole idea of storing up heavenly treasure is one that both Jesus and Paul talked about. With Jesus it was the redirection of priority, from worldly to eternal. With Paul it was a way for the church to show what they believed by generous ministry to those in need. In both cases the point is clear. Life’s investment needs to be in what outlasts life. This is not about earning heaven, which is a gift based upon God’s grace through Jesus Christ. But this is about what we do with the grace we have received, and how it impacts our approach to this life. Materialism, with all its poison, is a sad, idolatrous substitute for what matters most. We are called to an eternal purpose and investment. Don’t forget it.

Lord, help us stay focused on eternal investment, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Grant Redden, used by permission. Thanks, Grant, and God bless you.