Then the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn for her because no one buys their cargo any longer—cargo such as gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all sorts of things made of citron wood, all sorts of objects made of ivory, all sorts of things made of expensive wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, perfumed ointment, frankincense, wine, olive oil and costly flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and four-wheeled carriages, slaves and human lives.
(The ripe fruit you greatly desired has gone from you, and all your luxury and splendor have gone from you—they will never ever be found again!)
The merchants who sold these things, who got rich from her, will stand a long way off because they are afraid of her torment. They will weep and mourn, saying,
“Woe, woe, O great city—dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet clothing, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls—because in a single hour such great wealth has been destroyed!” Revelation 18:11-17
New English Translation
In Revelation 18, we see the reality of wealth: it doesn’t last and it definitely won’t cut it when it comes to judgment day. Though the world would love to emphasize their perceived need for money, it really holds no eternal value. All that is designated as costly today is never going to compare to God in eternity. Sadly, the people of Revelation 18 found out that their desire for wealth and their reliance on trade couldn’t save them when it came to being judged for their wrong doings.
It can be so easy to let money distract us and lead us into things other than what God has for us. Afterall, we need to pay the bills, we need food on the table, and honestly, a nice cup of joe isn’t that bad either. However, when we allow money to begin to take up more space in our lives, more of our heart and desires, we lose the beauty of what God has given us.
Yes, God gave us money. He gave us the ability to provide for our families and often a little extra to do something special. This isn’t so we can feel good about ourselves and see ourselves as the ones who are making all this happen. Instead, it’s our opportunity to recognize what God is doing for us. This is a chance to step back and realize that God is the only reason everything is working out.
It can be so easy to let the dollar signs become a distraction. Looking at the savings account and feeling pretty good when it starts to build is natural. However, we have to remember that we cannot rely on our money to make our life complete. No matter how much we can buy, no matter how much we spend, it won’t fulfill us like God does.
In my life, I’ve had to make decisions regarding finances to make sure that I keep God and His priorities front and center. For me, this looked like jumping head first into all the giving that God had placed on my heart, even though as an hourly worker, I don’t always make as much as I’d like to. No matter how much it doesn’t make sense, God’s helping me to see that if I’m willing to let Him be the first and the biggest recipient of my finances, He will show me how to make the rest work.
Now, has it always been rainbows and sunshine over here in my world? No, not really. There have been times that I’ve calculated how much of my paycheck would be left after the giving came out and I was unimpressed by the number. Yet, have I suffered any? No, not at all.
What God’s shown me is that when He is the first priority, everything else begins to shift into place of proper priority. Once we do that, we begin to see what we really need, what really should be done, and we are able to say “no” to things that really just waste our time and resources. At that point, we’ve begun to let God have a bigger piece of not just our finances but our decision making.
Remember, it’s not about making bank, being the richest person you know, or even being able to do whatever you want because you can afford it. Money is about accepting a gift from God and honoring Him in return with it.
Here’s my question for you: How do you let money interact in your life? Does it get to dictate how you act and what you do? Or do you let God have the say over money? Be honest and open with yourself. If you need to rethink the place money holds in your life, there is no time like the present! Take some time and pray and ask God to show you how He wants you to let Him into your finances. Get to know God in a whole new way. Trust me, it’s worth it.