Being grounded here or in the kingdom

This past Sunday, the preacher spoke on 1 Corinthians 6.

Read it, it's great!
It speaks about today being the day of salvation, not putting a stumbling block in someone's path, and not being unequally yoked.

Pastor Dick was going over each of those points. I liked how he explained that we can't be perfect, but we can try to not put a stumbling block in someone's path to prevent them from knowing Christ.

Yet, while reading it, one verse hit me. It was an epiphany!

Verse 10 says, paraphrased, we don't own anything, but yet own everything.

I got to thinking (yes, Pastor Dick, my mind went off on another rabbit trail while you were speaking), sometimes I buy things and then become a slave to them. Why, just this week I was telling my wife we need to pray that things stop breaking down. The engine light has been coming on for both of our cars lately. The last time I had ours fixed, it was a few thousand dollars. Our friends have it happening too. Nancy told us the other day that her dryer broke down and now the oven. They're only 10 year old appliances. But, she was able to use her mom's 30 year old oven that still works!

Well, I got to thinking about how we start to acquire these "things" and they make us feel comfortable. They make us feel well grounded and stable here on earth. But, they fail.

Jesus asked in Matthew 16:26 that what will it be profit to us if we gain the whole world, but forfeit our soul? In Romans 12:2 the Bible tells us to no longer conform to this world. The Bible reminds us in 1 Timothy 6:7 that we brought nothing into this world and we can't take anything from it when we leave.

And, in Matthew 6: 18-21 (one of my favorite passages), Jesus encourages us to seek first his kingdom and we'll have what we need. We will have riches in the kingdom where moth and rust don't destroy!

So, I'm going to be seeking his kingdom. It's greater than this one. Now, that's encouragement!