The Weekly Word: Possessions that really satisfy

By Rev. Daniel Larson, Cross Lutheran Church

A couple of months ago we cleaned out our basement and garage and discovered a lot of stuff that we forgot we even had — some things we had not seen or used in over 10 years.

I asked myself, “Why do we keep all this stuff?”

It made me think how God really blesses us with many material possessions, doesn’t He? Everything we have comes from Him. He provides all the things we need from day to day and is generous to give us many more things than we really “need.” We really do have an abundance of material possessions.

However, we must be careful that we do not begin to love these material possessions more than God who provides them.

It is easy for us to become greedy and to grumble about what we have or don’t have in our lives. We always seem to want more – more money, more toys, more houses, property, goods and possessions without end!

But none of these things can satisfy us completely or fill the emptiness we may feel in our hearts and lives. Only Jesus can do that. Only He can fill that void.

Our Lord warned us:

“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

— Luke 12:15

Jesus wants to emphasize to us that there is more to life and more to us than our possessions. He is the source of everything we need, both spiritually and materially.

This is why Jesus wants us to focus on the kind of possessions that are really important and that will truly satisfy. Any money or material possessions we may have are benefits of God’s grace to us. But these things cannot buy true happiness for us, or give us peace of heart, or secure our life with God. Jesus is the only way for us to know God and to be sure of our salvation and eternal life with Him.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Can we see why Jesus and His salvation for us are our most precious possessions? He lived a perfect life before God in our place. He suffered the death penalty for our sins that we deserved. Jesus came to life on the third day and He promises that we also will live forever through faith in Him alone.

Just think of that! Through the redemptive work of His Son, God graciously gives us the gifts of forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven. Nothing could be more important than these things, for they are the possessions that last. They are the possessions that really satisfy!

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We invite you to worship with us at Cross Lutheran Church each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Here is a place where you can be spiritually blessed and become “rich” toward God.