Turn from Worthless Things – May 27, 2019

We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.
Acts 14:15b

Turn from Worthless Things

Whenever a person moves from one home to another, questions abound. What will the next place be like? What will the new neighbors be like? Then there is the most pressing question: What do I take with me? How does one sift through years of memories and memorabilia? How does one determine what is worthless and disposable? It is not an easy question to answer. But it is an important question to answer when a person is moving.

It is even more important for every person to ask this question regarding their spiritual life. When Saint Paul visited the ancient city of Lystra, he explained to the people there that the false gods they worshiped were worthless. “Turn from worthless things to the living God,” he told them.

Nearly two thousand years later, Paul’s message still applies. If he would look at us, he would say the same thing: Turn from worthless things. Although difficult to accept and, even more difficult to undertake, it is exactly what we must do.

Because, like the people in Lystra, we often worship what is worthless. We spend far too much of our time and effort chasing things that are not worthy, things that will not last. Nothing this world offers can match the lasting value of knowing Jesus and what he has done for us. His precious life was lived to offer us perfect obedience. His priceless death was given to release us from judgment. His incomparable resurrection now provides eternal blessing in heaven.

Recognizing what Jesus gives us makes us realize it is time to clean house, to turn from worthless things to the priceless blessings of the living God and our precious Savior.

Prayer:
O gracious Lord and Savior, how can I thank you for your gifts of priceless worth! Turn my heart to that which has lasting value, and strengthen me to turn away from things that have no worth. Amen.