The Stuff Challenge!

I am copying this from my bible study blog so you can see it.

Luke 18:29-30 No one who has sacrificed home, spouse, brothers and sisters, parents, children—whatever—will lose out. It will all come back multiplied many times over in your lifetime. And then the bonus of eternal life!

Jesus has been telling a rich man that the way for him to have eternal life is to give up all of his possessions. Peter, being the suck-up that he always is, chimes in with "We left everything we owned and followed you, didn't we?" Jesus tells him that they will be rewarded for their sacrifice while they're on earth, but even better, they will live forever in heaven!

The issue of material possessions is a hot one in this day and age. We are so obsessed with wealth and stuff. I love stuff. Only a few minutes ago, I caught myself getting mesmerized by a Target commercial! Stuff is a big stumbling block for me. I don't have a problem with money — I can give it away just as easily as I can spend it. It's the stuff I can buy with the money that really gets me. Oh, I know that possessions shouldn't be so important to me. I know I can't take my new shoes to heaven with me. But somehow I always turn back to shopping for a feel-good outlet. Recently, God has been putting this on my heart. One of our scriptures last week talked about worldly things and our preoccupation with them. It was Luke 12:29-32- "What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works." I woke up the next morning, which happened to be pay day, and thought, "I am not going to buy anything this month and see what happens." I knew that God had put this challenge on my heart for a reason. I was up for it, but before I could stop myself I started thinking about what cool things I could buy at the end of the month with the money I had saved. Then I heard a very distinct voice in my head say "No. Give it away." I rolled my eyes in disgust at myself. Of course, give it away! What good would it do me to go the whole month without shopping, just to blow it on November 1? So, I made a commitment to refrain from buying all the extras I usually would scoop up this month (obviously, I will need to buy things like gas and food). So far, it has been difficult but I am doing pretty well. Of course, I'm only five days in! I am definitely going to need to do a lot of praying to succeed with this challenge. I can't wait to see what God is going to accomplish in me this month!

Father God, I have read your words about not letting the things of this world take precedence over you. Then I heard it straight from you. I will need your help to accomplish the task you have given me. Thank you for not giving up on weak, material, human me. I love you so much. Amen.