Worldly Love

What is it that we want from this world?

I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven on account of his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young people, because you have conquered the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young people, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever. - 1 John 2:12-17

When we are young, we want things, even though we find ways to have a lot of fun without them.

I have many fond memories of play as a child, and it didn't require a lot more than an active imagination to keep us happy.

But we grow up and find that we need stuff, and we expect that stuff to make us happy like we were when we were children.

But it doesn't.

The true joy in life comes from the living not from things.  

When we reach old age, which is that age just beyond where we are in our lives now, we find those things don't have as much draw for us.

Something deeper is calling us to it, something from God.

Worldly Love doesn't last.  Godly Love does.

As we chart our course through this new year, perhaps we should try to focus on the gifts God gives us that are not things.  We can start by watching the sun rise.

More to come...