COLOSSIANS 3:5

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

TO PONDER

Have you ever considered greed as idolatry? Martin Luther explains in his explanation to the First commandment, that what it means to have a God is simply this, "it means to trust in and rely on something or someone wholeheartedly to help us in times of need and to give us all good things."

It's easy to turn to wealth as a substitute for God, especially in this world. Money can buy you good things, money can help you through difficult situations like being able to afford good healthcare and medicine, food and shelter. When you think about it, it's not to hard to see why greed and a love of money appears to so many people, as a viable alternative to God.

In fact the entire list here in Colossians is simply a list of things that many different people turn to to find help in times of need or a way to experience 'good' in an otherwise 'not good' world. But the only real 'good' is to be found in Jesus. Only he can bring life out of death, grace and forgiveness out of sin and rebellion. Only Jesus can truely save you in times of trouble and give you truely good things. There simply is no substitute.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you alone are the way, the truth, and the life. Please help me to put to death those sinful desires that cause me to look to other things for help and security in my life. Help me today and every day to seek you first. Amen