I went looking for bargains after Christmas and I went to my favorite antique store where there is a section leased out to a guy who sells trains and their accessories. He happened to be there and we got talking. I saw a building that would fit with my larger scale train set at a great price and I asked what the story was on that piece. He said that it had belonged to a guy who had been a customer of his for years and when he died, his wife was looking for a way to liquidate all his “toys”. He said that she had approached him because no one was willing to give her anything more than a few pennies on the dollar for the value of all his train paraphernalia. He gave her a price that allowed him to sell things at an attractive price and put a couple of dollars in his pocket too. She was more than pleased with the offer and he came and paid her and packed it all up. He said that as he went through the items, he realized that they were things that he had originally sold his friend and that the original price tags from his store were still on some of them! I was pleased to purchase that building and in the back of my mind I thought “I wonder if my wife will be selling this along with other stuff when I finish my journey on this earth?” It was a reminder that we brought nothing with us when we came into this world and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. That was something that the Apostle Paul wrote to a young associate of his and he reminded him that what really will matter when this life is over, is a life of godliness with contentment that we bring before the God to whom we will appear. I like my train set and I like my new little building. And I even like the idea that it will end up with someone else when I’m gone. But even more so, I really like that I am saved not by anything I have or ever will do, but by God’s wildly generous grace to me. That’s all that will allow me to be seen as remotely godly when my journey is over. Remember that the one who dies with the most toys…still just dies. But the one who has trusted this Jesus of the Bible for forgiveness and eternal life…that person goes out a winner! Here’s our Bible verse for today…
1 Timothy 6:6-7 NLT Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. (7) After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ
1 Timothy 6:6-7 NLT Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. (7) After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ