Wealth or Heaven?

Dear Jesus,

You said that it is hard for a rich person to go to heaven.

William Barclay says that riches have a three-fold impact on a man's outlook on life and the hereafter.  First, "Riches encourage a false independence."  Second, "Riches shackle a man to this earth."  Third, "Riches tend to make a man selfish." (William Barclay in The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 2, pp. 240-241).

I live in one of the wealthiest nations and in one of the wealthiest eras in all of human history. Yet, all around me I sense a disconnect with human hope for eternity and heaven. Social theology offers little hope beyond universal eternal bliss in some nebulous hereafter.  People eulogize their dearly departed as being in an ambiguous "better place."  American "scales" religion says that if my good deeds outweigh my bad deeds, then I can go to this "better place" when I die. It seems that each person is his or her own judge and jury on these decisions of eternal destiny.

Wealth and prosperity have made life so comfortable on earth that many folks seem to have lost a desire for the hereafter.  Yet, You went to prepare a place for those who love and serve you.

Have riches dulled my desperate dependence upon You?  Oh God, forgive me for my my faithless dependence upon the fragile, yet visible material world to which I cling!  I repent of my reliance upon myself, my resources, my energies, and my abilities, and cast myself upon You!

I cannot save myself.  You have to come from outside of my lost estate and call me to salvation. You gave Your live to redeem me. Help me to never lose sight of who You are and what You offer through Your Great Salvation!  I choose dependence upon You for time, and hope in You for all eternity.

Money, wealth, and material prosperity cannot buy me salvation or eternal life with You. Drive me into Your loving embrace.  Surely, I have nowhere else to go.

In the Name of my Savior who is preparing me a place!
Amen.