Morning Devotional
April 17, 2003
“The Problem With Now”
by Don Emmitte

Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had leprosy. During supper, a woman came in with a beautiful jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head. The disciples were indignant when they saw this. "What a waste of money," they said. "She could have sold it for a fortune and given the money to the poor." But Jesus replied, "Why berate her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer. She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be talked about in her memory." Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, "How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?" And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for the right time and place to betray Jesus. (Matthew 26:6-16 NLV). 

Someone has said, "Never sacrifice the ultimate on the altar of the immediate." That is the summary of the problem so many people have with “now.”  While it is true that we ought to live our lives in the present tense, it is also true that our choices ought to be measured against their ultimate consequences.

In our reading today we see Judas, who was one of Jesus' twelve disciples and keeper of the moneybox. It is widely suspected that He used to pilfer what was put into the box. It is no wonder that he was upset with Mary Magdalene for using the expensive ointment on Jesus. He saw it as a waste. When he was reprimanded for his greed he went to the religious leaders to offer Jesus in return for a reward. He was willing to sacrifice the ultimate for the immediate. In today's world, many are so busy spending their time and energy seeking after wealth and gratification of their immediate pleasure, that they are in the same danger. They are in danger of joining Judas in betraying Jesus for silver.

We are told by Jesus (cf. Matthew 6) not to store up for ourselves treasures upon earth, but to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where it will last forever. We are also admonished in the same passage that no one can serve two masters, that we cannot serve God and wealth. Christ does not say we must not, or we should not, but that we CANNOT serve both God and wealth. This is not to say that we are to be lazy and not work or save for the future or that God does not want us to enjoy the blessings He gives us. On the contrary, we are to be hard workers. However, it is only to say that there is something of far greater value that should be our priority, and we should not let our senses and their demands and pressures from the world around us keep us from the ultimate by enslaving ourselves to the immediate. As you make your choices in life, look at the consequences. Where you place your time and energy ought to draw you closer to the Lord, not drive you further from Him.