Lottery Winnings
"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love,
so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in
order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are
hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Colossians 2:2 (NIV)
As I woke up this morning, I remembered that I had purchased a lottery
ticket yesterday afternoon for the three-hundred million dollar
Powerball jackpot. And, being the "early to bed" girl that I am, I wasn’t able
to stay up that late to see if I was an instant millionaire or not.
Soon, unbridled thoughts wandered into my head about just what I would
do if I had won even just a little bit of that big pile of money. Would
I buy some new cars, a closet full of expensive clothes with shoes to
match every outfit, or a membership to a snazzy, overly-priced country
club? Or, maybe our family could finally go on that extravagant vacation
we’ve always wanted. Then, my thoughts grew even more outrageous.
Perhaps we could move into a mansion with a backyard filled with magnificent
gardens, tennis courts, pools, saunas and a spa or two! Or, as reality
set in, maybe I could finally get some new blinds for the house and
replace the carpet that has grown unpleasantly dingy. Regardless, it was
fun to dream big, if only for a moment.
As I wallowed in
the thoughts of my newly-found opulence, I was
immediately drawn back to the reality of today and my precious life in Christ
Jesus. The scriptures tell us that, "foxes have holes and birds of the
air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Just
think, there was no warm and inviting house that Jesus could come home
to after a long and wearying day. No one was there fluffing his pillows
and pulling down the covers on a bed that He could fall asleep in and
dream the night away. He didn’t have a servant waiting on Him hand and
foot, rubbing his tired and aching muscles.
It was then that I knew that no matter what this lottery ticket would
reveal, I was already rich beyond my wildest dreams with the copious
lavishing from my heavenly Father above. Nothing compares to what God
offers us daily. We have the abundance of mercy that awaits us each
morning, and the stockpile of grace ready to be offered when we need it most.
We have the treasure chest of love that God fills our hearts with for
Him and for others, and just knowing pure JOY makes it all worthwhile!
These riches surpass any material possessions that this world could
give. This kind of wealth is eternal and will always satisfy, unlike the
fleeting moment of a spending spree or a new house by the sea.
Remember, exceedingly abundant riches are given to us each and every
day. Just ask and you will receive them. And, you don’t need a lottery