What Really Matters?

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" (James 4:14)

What does matter after all? What are the axiomatic truths upon which all human life may rest with confidence? Fortunately they are not many. Here are the chief ones:

1. Only God is great.

2. Only God is wise.

3. Apart from God nothing matters. We think that health matters, that freedom matters, or knowledge or art or civilization. And but for one insistent word they would matter indeed. That word "ETERNITY."

Grant that men posses perpetual being, and the preciousness of every earthly treasure is gone instantly. God is to our eternal being what our heart is to our body. The lungs, the liver, the kidneys have value as they relate to the heart. Let the heart stop and the rest of the organs promptly collapse. Apart from God, what is money, fame, education, civilization? Exactly nothing at all, for men leave all these things behind them and one by one go to eternity. Let God hide His face and nothing thereafter is worth the effort.

4. Only what we do in God will remain to us at last.

Slow me down, Lord, and help me focus on the few things that really matter in light of eternity. Amen

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Only God Matters

"And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God" (James 2:23)

Ultimately Abraham discovered that only God matters. He discovered in that revelation the greatest concept in the world.

It is as if Abraham laid hold of God's favor and promise with rejoicing, saying to himself, "When I have God, I need nothing more!"

Abraham was completely satisfied with God's friendship. He becomes to us a faithful example in his willingness to put God first. With Abraham, only God mattered.

In Abraham's encounter with God he learned why he was here upon earth. He was to glorify God in all things and to continually worship.

Abraham heard from God. Abraham met with God. Abraham listened to God. Abraham responded to God. He knew the meaning of an altar of worship and praise. Our altar of devotion and worship within our hearts should be as real.

These truths concerning Abraham and his wholehearted response to God cause me to wonder. How can we bring our lukewarm Christians into a realization that nothing in the world is as important to them as God's love and God's will?

Lord, teach me today what Abraham learned over the course of a lifetime - that only God matters. Amen

~A. W. Tozer~