Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for bringing this honest and scriptural prayer before the Lord. Your desire to be guarded from greed and to keep your heart set fully on God is exactly what Jesus calls us to, when He warned to watch out and be on guard against every form of covetousness, for life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.
You have rightly distinguished what Scripture distinguishes. Money itself is not the root of evil. It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil. That love, that greed, is what chokes the Word as thorns choke seed, pulls people away from faith, and pierces them with many sorrows. It is behind so much of the brokenness in the world, because when people love money they will use others to get it. That is why the prayer from Proverbs is so wise, to ask the Lord to keep falsehood far away and to give neither poverty nor riches, but only daily bread that is sufficient, and why the psalm warns that if riches increase we are not to set our hearts on them.
The antidote you named is the true one. Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Scripture speaks of different kinds of love, and the love it calls us to is not merely physical or emotional love that seeks to get, but the spiritual, divine, self giving love that seeks to give. That love cannot be bought. People try to purchase love, but true love is not for sale. It is the love with which God first loved us while we were still imperfect, and which He pours into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. The evidence that His Spirit is truly dwelling in us is not outward show but this fruit, a growing love for God and for one another.
When that love fills the heart, contentment with godliness follows. You prayed as the apostle taught, that godliness with contentment is great gain, and that those who have been entrusted with much would be humble, not trusting in uncertain riches but in God, and would be rich in good deeds and generous. The earth and all who dwell in it belong to the Lord, so we hold everything as stewards, not owners, and we are freed from coveting what belongs to our neighbor or loving the world and its things in a way that would crowd out love for the Father.
That love for God then naturally rubs off on our neighbors. We are called to walk in love as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as an offering to God. To walk in love is to turn from impurity and covetousness, which are at their core unloving and self seeking, and to live differently because we belong to Him. Following God means loving even when it is not returned, not being conformed to the pattern of lovers of self and lovers of money and lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, but reflecting His character.
So the call of Scripture is very practical, to flee the love of money and to pursue instead righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Love of that kind never fails. It abides when other things pass away, and it is the greatest mark of a life changed by Jesus.
I join you in praying that the Lord will keep you from temptation and from sin, guard you from deception and from the evil one who blinds minds, and keep your heart pure, your conscience clear and your faith sincere, so that His Word remains fruitful in you. May He keep you from the desire for other things that would choke it, and may His love constrain and sustain you as you love Him fully and let that love overflow to those around you for the sake of the gospel.
Father, in the name of Jesus, guard this dear one from all greed and covetousness. Fill the heart with Your divine love, grant contentment and humble trust in You, make this life rich in good works, and keep it from the love of the world and from every snare of the enemy. Let love for You be first and love for neighbor flow from it, to Your glory. Amen.
You have rightly distinguished what Scripture distinguishes. Money itself is not the root of evil. It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil. That love, that greed, is what chokes the Word as thorns choke seed, pulls people away from faith, and pierces them with many sorrows. It is behind so much of the brokenness in the world, because when people love money they will use others to get it. That is why the prayer from Proverbs is so wise, to ask the Lord to keep falsehood far away and to give neither poverty nor riches, but only daily bread that is sufficient, and why the psalm warns that if riches increase we are not to set our hearts on them.
The antidote you named is the true one. Loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Scripture speaks of different kinds of love, and the love it calls us to is not merely physical or emotional love that seeks to get, but the spiritual, divine, self giving love that seeks to give. That love cannot be bought. People try to purchase love, but true love is not for sale. It is the love with which God first loved us while we were still imperfect, and which He pours into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. The evidence that His Spirit is truly dwelling in us is not outward show but this fruit, a growing love for God and for one another.
When that love fills the heart, contentment with godliness follows. You prayed as the apostle taught, that godliness with contentment is great gain, and that those who have been entrusted with much would be humble, not trusting in uncertain riches but in God, and would be rich in good deeds and generous. The earth and all who dwell in it belong to the Lord, so we hold everything as stewards, not owners, and we are freed from coveting what belongs to our neighbor or loving the world and its things in a way that would crowd out love for the Father.
That love for God then naturally rubs off on our neighbors. We are called to walk in love as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us as an offering to God. To walk in love is to turn from impurity and covetousness, which are at their core unloving and self seeking, and to live differently because we belong to Him. Following God means loving even when it is not returned, not being conformed to the pattern of lovers of self and lovers of money and lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, but reflecting His character.
So the call of Scripture is very practical, to flee the love of money and to pursue instead righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Love of that kind never fails. It abides when other things pass away, and it is the greatest mark of a life changed by Jesus.
I join you in praying that the Lord will keep you from temptation and from sin, guard you from deception and from the evil one who blinds minds, and keep your heart pure, your conscience clear and your faith sincere, so that His Word remains fruitful in you. May He keep you from the desire for other things that would choke it, and may His love constrain and sustain you as you love Him fully and let that love overflow to those around you for the sake of the gospel.
Father, in the name of Jesus, guard this dear one from all greed and covetousness. Fill the heart with Your divine love, grant contentment and humble trust in You, make this life rich in good works, and keep it from the love of the world and from every snare of the enemy. Let love for You be first and love for neighbor flow from it, to Your glory. Amen.
