Eternal Pursuits
Read Psalm 49
Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,
2 both low and high,
rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:
5 Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
9 so that they should live on forever
and not see decay.
10 For all can see that the wise die,
that the foolish and the senseless also perish,
leaving their wealth to others.
11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had named lands after themselves.
12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure;
they are like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
14 They are like sheep and are destined to die;
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;
he will surely take me to himself.
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,
who will never again see the light of life.
20 People who have wealth but lack understanding
are like the beasts that perish.
Big Idea: Spend yourself on eternal pursuits.
If each of us wrote out what we did every minute for an entire day, I think we would all be shocked by how much time we spend on things that are temporary. How many hours have I spent doing dishes, cheering for sports teams, earning and spending money, looking at my phone, brushing my teeth, or driving my car? And while brushing my teeth is very needed, it’s amazing how much of life is spent pursuing such things.
Not only do we spend most of our time doing temporary things, but we spend most of our thought life consumed by matters of today. Years from now, you won’t care who won the game, what grade you got on the math test, or who posted what on where. Even so, our minds and thoughts can be consumed by these temporary stresses and concerns. In the parable of the sower in Mark 4:1-20, Jesus said “Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” We must be on guard that the temporary does not affect the eternal!
What are eternal pursuits we can focus on today?
1- Our relationship with God.
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:31-33
2- Our mission from God.
“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:16-17
3- Our eternal home with God.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
Pray today asking God to help you have an eternal perspective and less attachment to temporary things.
Takeaway Verse:

Song For Today:
Looking For More?
Similar Devotions: The Great Exchange, Our Part in the Story, Oh So Busy, I Want to See, Becoming Less, Stealthy Servant, Why Am I Here?, A Friend, Salt and Light, True Treasure, There’s Hope, Am I Numb?, Not Just a Consumer, Focused on Eternity, A Warrior in a Winepress, The Responsive Heart