HomeWord - October 22, 2014

 Why Your Soul Matters

This devotional was written by Doug Fields

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? —Matthew 16:26

Picture a balance—you know, one of those scales on which they weigh mail and packages and frozen meat and newborn iguanas (I saw that on the Discovery Channel). Imagine that one side of the scale has all the stuff you already have or are trying to gain. Tipping the scale would be all the possessions and activities you typically view as benefits: houses, cars, boats, vacations, swimming pools, stock portfolios, job titles, reputation, college degrees, iguanas, all the toys you’ve ever bought and karate lessons.

Then, on the other side of the balance is simply…your soul.

It would seem obvious that the side with all the stuff should weigh down the balance, right? Wrong! In God’s divine measuring system, stuff always loses to soul. Yet, when was the last time you stopped long enough to even consider your soul?

Your soul—that invisible and eternal part of you—is the part that connects you with God. It’s what makes you different than all other life forms on the planet—every human has a soul. Your soul is the real you. That’s why Jesus asked, “Is anything worth more than your soul?”

Jesus wanted us to understand that our souls are the most important part of who we are. Your soul is your most valuable “possession.” Because of this, your soul longs for the type of fullness whose warranty doesn’t wear out after sixty days—the fullness that only God can fill through regular connection. This is why we need to value, feed and care for them. And having this fullness is critical, because…of the reality of death.

One day each of us will die—at least physically, anyway. Our hearts will cease beating. Our bodies will stop and we’ll assume room temperature. But our souls will live for eternity. We can lose a body part or have an organ transplant, but it doesn’t alter the soul. Souls last.

When we connect with God, we not only access the power and guidance we need for each day, we also invest in our eternity—our real home and final location, the place where the risen Christ is preparing for us to join Him. Connecting with God is also another way to prepare us for the time when we will be entrusted with “many things” for all eternity. By regular connection with God, we feed our souls—and at the same time, we stash away spiritual capital that will last forever in the real adventure of being in the very presence of God!

GOING DEEPER:

1. How does your life reflect the truth that “your soul is your most valuable possession”?

2. What actions are you willing to take today in order to feed and care for your soul?

FURTHER READING:

John 14:2; Matthew 25:14-30; Philippians 3:20

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