April 21st Devotional Thought
Keith Sobus, our Spiritual Care Director has given us some great thoughts today:
Revelation 3:17, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
I don’t want to pretend that people at IWU and Taylor U are rich. Certainly, there are those who struggle financially. Year after year, students decide that IWU or Taylor costs too much money to continue investing in or something happens that changes their financial situation.
However, there’s a sense in which we’re more well off than we think. Bear with me while I share some disturbing facts (we’ve probably heard these before, but I repeat them in order to refresh our minds).
- At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.
- According to UNICEF, 24,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”
- Around 27-28 percent of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted. The two regions that account for the bulk of the deficit are South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
These statistics are from http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats
Why do I mention all of this?
I think there are times in our lives when our fortunate circumstances cause us to underestimate our need for God. It’s almost as if… the more blessings we receive from God, the more independent we feel we’ve become and so the less grateful we are.
I read 2 Chronicles 16:12, “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians.”
I think of my own life. How many times do I look to other things other than the Lord to solve my problems? Do I look to God when all other options have been exhausted?
Pray with me,
I am rich. I have acquired wealth. But I need you Lord. I am wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Without you, I am all these things and more Lord. I need your help God. I need you to teach me to rely on you, to teach me to come to you first and foremost. God, if there is anything in my life that keeps me from trusting in you… if I place my trust in my own power… I pray that you would rebuke me, that you would discipline me Lord. I love you. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen.
May we not be lukewarm in our spiritual lives! Thanks for sharing Keith.
