Psalm 49 & Joy

Psalm 49:6-9 They that trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him; (For the redemption of their life is costly, And it faileth for ever;)


Money/wealth has never been a priority for me (and I pray that it never will be), but I'm not blind to the fact that money is a means to do many things. You need it to eat, clothe yourself, have shelter, feed your pets, go to the movies, buy expensive gifts, travel, etc. But one thing money can't buy is your salvation. Or the salvation of your family/friends. This thought is for me at once completely depressing and infinitely sanguine.

How many of us would work ourselves to the bone to see someone saved? It is one of the biggest stressors on many peoples lives, whether it be an unsaved spouse, child, parent, cousin, or close friend. To be able to buy (with cash) someones salvation seems to me a kind of ultimate sacrifice, excepting giving your life for someone. To get the money you would need to buy said salvation, you would need to sacrifice your time, yourself (food for money & clothes would be a minor priority), and your most valued possesions (either family, a vehicle, a pet, etc - they all require money for upkeep). But it would be worth it, to me and lots of people I know. And it would all be fruitless and for nothing.

Once we get that idea through our heads, we are free to leave their salvation to God. Its hard, I know. So many days and nights of asking God how long we're going to have to wait...it becomes a joy-stealer. In fact, I would go so far as to say that any burden we refuse to let go of becomes a joy-stealer (this particular one just hit home last night). Once we accept that we can do nothing and we allow God to relieve us of these burdens, we are able to protect and guard our joy. At which point we allow it to be our strength. The joy of the Lord can't be our strength if we don't guard it as something precious. And how can we ever hope to survive in this world without strength (aka the joy of the Lord)? Protect yourself from joy-stealers.