People who have riches without wisdom are like animals that die.Psalm 49:12
Jesus told a story about a wealthy landowner in Luke 12:16-21.One year that rich man had such a bountiful harvest that he couldn’t store it all. He was worried. He wanted to keep the whole harvest for himself!
Then he thought of a solution. He would tear down his old barns and build bigger ones. That night he went to sleep dreaming of new, bigger barns. But during the night he died in his bed.
That landowner was a fool, Jesus said, because he was so afraid to lose part of his harvest, but instead he lost his own soul. Heinvested in something that wouldn’t last long: his earthly possessions and his earthly life. He valued his harvest without considering his own eternal value.
Many years before, the Psalmist David had written about people like that: People who have riches without wisdom are like animals that die. (Psalm 49:12)
No one is rich or powerful enough to escape death. But in Psalm 49, David also tells about someone who is powerful enough to free us from the bonds of death. David called that person his Redeemer, that is to say hisDeliverer. David writes with confidence: God will redeem me—he will deliver me–from the grave. He will certainly take me to himself. (Psalm 49:15)
Today, we understand more clearly than David who that Redeemer is. God sent Jesus on earth to become our Redeemer. Jesus delivered us from the power of death through his death and resurrection so that we can live with him forever.
This is the message we proclaim through media ministry. It’s the Good News that Christ can become our Redeemer for all eternity. And by God’s grace, many of our listeners wisely accept this generous gift and then learn to become generous themselves.
Prayer Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to become my Redeemer. Give us all a wise heart, open to your love and the promise of eternal life in Jesus. And save us from a foolish life of greed. Amen
