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“You Can't Take It with You”

Thoughts for Today:

A man who was about to die said to his wife, "Dress me up in my best suit." His wife did so. "Now fill my pockets with gold, and sew them closed." His wife complied. The man died shortly thereafter, and when he went to heaven he was pleased to feel the bulges still in his pockets. "I made it!" he shouted. He said to Peter, as he showed him the gold in his pockets, "Who said you can't take it with you? Look at this!" Shocked, Peter asked, "Why did you bring asphalt up here?"

The point is: What we are so consumed by, fight over, strive after, and worry about on earth is mere asphalt in heaven. And contrary to the story, we can't take it with us. But our passage today is not talking about our "stuff" as some may think. Rather, it is a reference to our reward in heaven for what we've done while on the earth.

Revelations 7:17b tells us: "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." So we know there will be no tears in heaven. Certainly not for the bigger home we didn't build, the newer car we didn't buy, or the more fashionable clothes that were never worn. Still, I think there will be some regrets. Which ones? For all the opportunities we missed to store up treasure in heaven. Luke 12:33, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys."

Questions to Ponder:

Everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior will make it to heaven. But some are going to get there, look around and say, "Oh no, everything I had and thought was important is gone. It's all been burned." Take a moment right now and look at your life, family and ministry. Are you building with gold, silver, and precious stones, or wood, hay and straw (verse 12)? What will be left of your life work as you escape the flames? Will you have a crown to cast at His feet? 1 Thessalonians 2:19: "For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?"

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About the author

Pocket Devotions are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.