Here's what He gave me this morning to take with me through the day:
For most of us, there is either reward here and now, or reward in Heaven. Certainly, in his kindness, the Lord blesses and rewards his servants during their lifetime, and even sends his rain on the just and the unjust. But, I'm not referring to the good things God gives us, but what we cling to, strive for, and set our hope on. We either look forward to a lasting reward, a greater inheritance - to treasure in Heaven; or we live for pleasure and treasure now.
In the story of the rich man (whose anonymity seems so poignant to me) and Lazarus, the rich man "feasted sumptuously" everyday, while Lazarus suffered just outside his gate, desiring only to taste the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. The rich man received his pleasure and comfort in his lifetime, but he took no pity on Lazarus, and did not share his comfort with him. He was not rich toward God.
Jesus said, "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness."
The rich man had a bad eye - it was set on things that are seen, not on what is unseen - his master, money, was always in his view and so he failed to see God, or God's servant Lazarus. In the end, the rich man becomes the beggar, pleading for a cool hand to touch his tongue and relieve just some of his agony, while Lazarus the beggar receives from Abraham the comfort that was withheld from him by the rich man.
What I became convinced of this week is how closely I resemble the rich man. I love the comforts I have in this life, and I would never give them up, if I were left to my own. I would ignore those who are suffering outside my gate, and I would strive for more and more for myself in this life.
Jesus ends the story with a foreshadowing of the gospel -
"He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"
(Luke 16:29-31)
Of course, we know someone did rise from the dead, and made it possible for sinners like Lazarus to receive eternal comfort after a lifetime of suffering.
Praise God! This same gospel makes it possible for me to go to the word and see Christ. My eye is bad, but by grace he is my good eye - and he is gradually taking my bad eye and giving light to it!
