10-16-16 Drowning in Culture: Utilitarianism and Materialism

I really, really want to be able to tie something spiritual and relevant to my desire for the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series, so that I can include my Cubbies in this week’s Sunday Morning Update, but I can’t think of anything.  So forget I said anything...

But I will ask you to be in prayer for our Elders and Deacons as they finalize the 2017 Budget for our church family this week.  With the economy struggling, and so many of our FCCers affected by Caterpillar’s issues in particular, we just need to make sure that we’re being very careful and very intentional about how we steward the resources that God has given us as a congregation.  Having said that, I truly still believe that if we’re genuinely seeking out God’s direction, and if we’re consciously making sure that what we do is what God is calling us to do, in the way(s) that He is calling us to do things, and doing everything for God’s glory and not our own, then we will have what we need, when we need it.  Fear profits us nothing, and anxiety is the antithesis of faith -- so I refuse to be worried about what may or may not happen, or how this or that is going to be covered.  We serve God, and He’s a bit more trustworthy and faithful than all of the 501k and portfolio and hard currency investments that we so often ultimately put our confidence in.

We talked a little bit about that on Sunday.  The world tends to naturally put its confidence in what it can see, taste, and touch -- the tangible things, the planned-for things all around us.  But we’re told in the Bible that “the name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10) -- that God and His essential character are stronger, more trustworthy defenses to put our faith in than the highest, thickest walls that our tangible wealth can create.

Think about it with me for a second...

If, as we’re told in Scripture, God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow; and if, as we’re assured, He will never leave us nor forsake us; then trusting in Him is simply trusting in His never-changing, never-failing character -- and that’s going to give us strength throughout eternity.

And if, as we’re told in Scripture, this world is passing away; and if, as we all know from personal experience, every house eventually falls apart, every business ultimately closes, and every human body inexorably crumbles to dust; then trusting in these seemingly “solid” things will always -- by definition -- eventually result in being let down.

So is it wisdom to trust in what seems to be supporting you in the short run, knowing full well that at some point, you’ll put your weight on it in confidence and it’ll crash out from under you?  Or, more to the point, is it wisdom to trust in that short run, “gonna-fail-you-at-some-point” thing more than trusting in God’s long run, “never-gonna-fail-you-at-any-point” strength and character?

It’s good to plan, and it’s good to use wisdom in your planning.  But to be anxious about things, or to try to alleviate that anxiety by trying to prop up the parts of life that feel the most solid (even though we know that they’ll fail us) demonstrates a lack of focus on what’s really real in our world... and what’s really worthy of our faith...

Don’t put your faith or find your peace in how well you think you’ve got your physical stuff under control.  Put your faith and find your peace in knowing that you’re walking with God, and that He’s got this...