This week in our Luke series, we are focussing on Luke 12:13-34, where the theme is our relationship to wealth. Today, we reflect on how the condition of our heart is revealed by our relationship to wealth.
‘“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you - you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.”’ (Luke 12:27-30)
Lesson: A healthy heart is the root of a healthy relationship with money and wealth.
You can listen to this devotional at:
How do we know if our hearts are healthy?
There are a number of markers that reveal the health of our heart: blood pressure; the amount of physical activity we can do; heart rate; the amount of blood flow to parts our body; the level of oxygen in the blood… as the heart is vital for our physical life, so the Bible uses it as an analogy for the centre of our personality. The heart - spiritually - is the source of our desires and will. How do we know if we have a healthy heart in the spiritual sense? Simply, our desires and will reveal the state of the heart. In regard to money and provision, the health of the heart is revealed in how we regard and act toward this crucial component of our lives.
Do not set your heart on what the ‘pagans’ set their hearts on.
Jesus commands us:
‘“And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.”’
Jesus is addressing His disciples and all who are Christians. He differentiates between ‘your heart’ and the heart of others as they ‘run after all such things’. Christians are to live differently to the world. How we handle wealth should reflect that we follow Christ and that we have a new heart. The condition of our hearts - and whether we truly are Christians - will be seen in how we respond to Jesus’ teachings. None of us are perfect, but, Christians, those who are born again, will ‘run after’ different things - they will pursue righteousness.
The heart is transformed by truth
As Christians, we, by the Spirit, have the power to set our hearts on the truth; specifically, we are to set our heart on the truth that God knows our needs. Yesterday, we saw how Jesus urges us to overcome worry about money by reflecting on God’s care in nature - of the ravens in particular. Here, Jesus repeats this idea, and uses another analogy, this time of flowers and grass to show The Father’s care for them, and of us who are worth so much more. Again we are urged to ‘consider’ these things. Meditation changes the heart. The Bible teaches that transformation happens via the understanding. An empty mind is not God’s method. He uses Spirit-inspired truth to transform the heart and spirit. I hope we can see the logic in this passage in phrases like, “If that is how…how much more…” As we study and meditate on passages of scripture, The Holy Spirit transforms us through His truth. Today, we see that we are to consider and be convinced that ‘“your Father knows that you need them.”’ What a releasing truth! We are free from the ultimate responsibility of meeting our needs. We can focus on ultimate things because He will deal with lesser things. We don’t have to ‘pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps’.
Response
A healthy heart is the root to a healthy relationship with money and wealth. A healthy heart is transformed by The Holy Spirit. He, initially, causes us to get a new heart through new birth. However, the heart - our desires and will - is continually developed through meditation on truth. How is your heart? Are you and I ‘running after’ wealth? Or are you allowing truth, such as that ‘your Father knows that you need them’ to transform how you run the race of life?
COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY
There are no groups this week due to our week of prayer. Please look at Church News or contact the church office for details.
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