I love the fact that most of Jesus’ stories are told in very few words. Our verse today is the punchline to a very brief story he told about a rich farmer who’d had such a successful harvest that he realised he needed to build more barns. He said to himself that he could now settle back and enjoy life. He could eat, drink and be merry. Jesus called the man a fool because he hadn’t considered that his life might come to an end that very night.

Jesus doesn’t want us to drag our way through life long-faced with the morbid realisation that any day might be our last. He wants us to live our lives fully every day, enjoying the wonders of his creation and the miracle of being alive. However, he wants us to do so in the light of eternity. He wants us to invest in the things that last, and nothing is more enduring than our relationship with God. There is nothing wrong with making money, but there is something hideously wrong with thinking about it to the exclusion of everything else.

Our society continually encourages us to think about our money, our possessions, our holidays, our pensions and our health. All of those things are essentially good, but as we look at the adverts and listen to the voices around us, we need to remind ourselves that God calls us to live with the much bigger perspective of eternity. Every day, we need to remind ourselves of the importance of living close to our eternal God and of sharing his love, joy and peace with those around us.

Do you consciously live and make your decisions in the light of eternity?

Thank you Lord for the wonderful gift of today. Help me to recognise how precious it is and to ensure that you are at the centre of all of my decisions. Amen