The Lord is rich

For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in him will not be ashamed." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. – Romans 10.11-12

There is so much to see here. We have already looked at the idea that 'whoever believes in him will not be ashamed.' There is also the marvellous that there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. Salvation is open to all people. God is not a respecter of persons.

But the verse continues – ‘...the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.’

Everybody would like to be rich, wouldn’t they?  Wouldn’t we all love to have more?

The church at Laodicea thought they were rich. They had it made. They didn’t need anything. But John wrote that they were missing the boat. They had plenty of stuff – but what about what counts in the long run? John had the answer – ‘Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— ‘

When we read that ‘the Lord is rich to those who call upon Him’ he is not talking about stuff. Sure, His riches allow us to trust that He will provide all our needs, according to those riches, but that is not the kind richness that counts for eternity.

We are going to see a little more detail about just how deep these riches go in a few days. My thoughts today are on what these riches are.

All the stuff we have ever had, have now, or will one day have is temporal. One day it is all going to be gone. It is going to rot or rust or burn up It all seems so important now, but one day it is going to all be gone – and then what.

Jesus spoke of this during His ministry. He tells us not to be so worried about we have or what we are going to eat or what we are going to wear. He tells us that if we seek to serve God’s kingdom first He will take care of all the rest.

He owns that cattle on a thousand hills. He owns the hill. Surely His richness is enough to take care of me. All I have to do is trust Him.