In our world there is much discussion about the gap between the rich and the poor, the have’s and have not’s. I suppose there are a variety of reasons for this. Some will point to the equity of financial rewards for those who work hard and take risks. Others will point to the inequity of exploitation and discrimination. One thing is sure in our sinful world, there will always be poor people. In fact Jesus tells us that the poor will be with us always (Mark 14:7).
While there is difficult in being financially challenged, there is even a more serious condition of poverty that affects the people of the world. There are those who do not have the water of life! It is too easy for us, even Christians, to be so focused on earthly wealth that we miss out on the heavenly treasures of forgiveness, life and salvation that Jesus won for us on the cross.
Concerning our prayer of “Thy kingdom come,” Luther in the Large Catechism reminds us:
“From this you see that we do not pray here for a crust of bread or a temporal, perishable good. Instead, we pray for an eternal inestimable treasure and everything that God Himself possesses. This is far too great for any human heart to think about desiring, if God had not Himself commanded us to pray for the same. But because He is God, He also claims the honor of giving much more and more abundantly than anyone can understand [Ephesians 3:20]. He is like an eternal, unfailing fountain. The more it pours forth and overflows, the more it continues to give. God desires nothing more seriously from us than that we ask Him for much and great things. In fact, He is angry if we do not ask and pray confidently [Hebrews 4:16].”
Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, in the midst of so many earthly distractions, help us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and our minds on things above. Amen.
God’s richest blessings in Christ,
Pastor Philip Quardokus
Download a pdf of all the Lenten devotions here.
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