Ouch!

My house is old and outdated. Lately, I've been thinking of getting it ready to sell. I'd like a lot newer house with a lot more room.

I've also got an old truck that I sometimes wonder how much longer it will run. It's a third vehicle, and as it's just my wife and me, it probably doesn't matter about the truck. But I'd really like to have a better one.

My son and his wife recently bought a new flat panel television. Now that's really nice! Maybe I can get one of those.

Since Vista has come out I've been thinking about a new laptop computer. The one I'm currently using is about three years old. From what I've read about Vista, I'm not a big fan, but I figure I'm going to have to make the move, so I've started looking at new computers.

Then I open my Bible. I try to read my Bible through each year. In fact, I try to do it in about a third of the year. So, yesterday I was reading through Psalms and came to Psalm 119:36. It hit me hard. Here's what it says: Turn my heart to Your decrees and not to material gain. Psalm 119:36 (HCSB)

Ouch! I began to think about the things I wanted. I was involved in thinking about how I might prioritize my list and get the things I wanted. Then I came to this verse and realized that I needed to turn my eyes away from the material things and focus my heart on the Lord and His decrees.

Living in America, it seems to me that most of America seems to be about material wealth. If you don't have it, you want it. If you have it, you want more of it. Even among those who are believers, I wonder if we are more concerned about our material wealth than we are about turning our heart to the decrees of God?