Pastor’s Corner: “False Security”
Psalm 39:4-7 (NIV) – 4 “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. 5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. 6 “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. 7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.
The prosperity of the 1920s came to an end with the beginning of the Great Depression. The collapsing stock market triggered severe economic decline. Intoxicated with the optimism of the times, a false sense of security had left people unprepared for the difficult years that would follow. Those who lived through the depression learned their lives could change quickly. One day, they had plenty; money, a home, a job, and plans for the future. The next day, all of this was gone. Unless we keep our focus on God, we are living with a false sense of security. Many were without work. Some lost their life’s savings. Countless people were homeless and struggled to find enough money to buy their next meal.
As sinful human beings, it doesn’t take much for us to be fooled into believing we somehow have our lives under control. There are multiple areas of false security where we place our hope, thinking, “Yes, this will make me happy…if I only had my health, I would be at peace.” We put our security and comfort in worldly pleasures and factors, and it’s smooth sailing – until life doesn’t go our way, and we realize our security wasn’t actually security at all. We’ve been fooled and deceived.
AREAS OF FALSE SECURITY: Our health: Perhaps you’ve been blessed with an incredible health record – if that’s the case, praise God! Or perhaps your record is full of sickness, injuries and disease. In either case, the attempt to find security in our health will fail because all of us are eventually headed toward death. Eventually, something’s got to give, for we cannot control our health in the end. Yes, there are factors that greatly influence our health such as healthy eating and exercise; but even these can easily become idols, as we strive to find our happiness in the strength of our bodies and the resilience of our immune systems. Our wealth: During an economic crash we can see how unstable our security in money can be. Here today, gone tomorrow. One wrong move, or perhaps a lifetime of poor decisions, and we discover that storing up money was (and is) never a guarantee. Yet, we find ourselves comforted by material possessions, always investing in the latest toy and the smartest stocks, as our grip on money grows tighter and tighter and our blood pressure increases because of how stressed out money’s uncertainty makes us. Our relationships: People make mistakes and loved ones fail us – and if we’re not careful, our emotions and security can become tied to these fluctuating human factors. Who are you seeking approval from? Who are you looking to make you happy? Who are you trying to please? Whose attention are you pining for? Our productivity and work: I’m guilty for saying, “I was so productive today,” finding a false sense of rest and self-satisfaction in my scribbled and checked to-do list. But on days when circumstances out of my control derail my to-do list and productivity, I struggle. I can’t be secure, unless I’m doing something productive!” We seek to find accomplishment in our work, in its returns, but find ourselves increasingly insecure when these factors are stripped from our control. This is also true of our spiritual disciplines. Our faith does not stand on “doing” for the Lord, on our works. It stands on what He has already done on the cross!
It is natural to be concerned about our daily lives. We think about our jobs, our homes, our families, and our friends. We track our retirement funds and make vacation plans. But unless we keep our focus on God, we are living with a false sense of security. The Bible reminds us that before Christ returns, many people will be doing what they want to do. Just as it was in the days of Noah and Lot, few will follow the ways of God (see Luke 17:26-30). There will be a lack of godly love, affection, gratitude, and respect for others. Giving little thought to eternity, people will be self-centered and lack self-control. They will be treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (see 2 Timothy 3:4).
Are you prepared for His coming? Don’t be caught unaware as were those during the Great Depression. Keep your heart and mind focused on God and His Word. Do not be a lover of self, money, or pleasure. Rather, love God and seek Him above all else, and you will discover true prosperity.
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton