Our church has a “Super Sale” every year in the fall. Out come everyone’s “trash and treasure,” “white elephants,” jewelry, and books. The women get the fellowship hall and the men, of course, get the garage. All the power tools, big and heavy items,…and last year, my golf clubs. I determined that if they sold, that was a sign. If they didn’t, that too was a sign. Gone they were. And just like that, my golfing days were over. I was leaning in that direction anyway: too much time, money, and frustration. I just didn’t enjoy it anymore. Better the church gets the money.

I remember once a friend did a similar thing with their jet skis at their home garage sale. The kids were grown and moved out, so there those expensive toys sat. Another reminder that we keep things that don’t really fulfill; status symbols are what they amount to. In the overall, God’s story scheme of things, they are rubbish. Add to that our treasured, hallowed life accomplishments. They pale in significance compared to the inexpressible joy of knowing and experiencing life in Christ. All in.

When we heard major league baseball players testify to that knowledge and experience after yesterday’s Tampa Bay Rays game, it choked me up. Even being in the World Series, as they were in 2020, paled in comparison. When we get to the point of “is this all there is?” we find the Lord when we humbly seek him and lay our trophies at His feet. Happiness derived from creature comforts is nothing but vanity (Ecclesiastes). “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Beatitudes). Jet skis and golf clubs? Puh-leez! Nothing, no one is like You, our Rock and our Redeemer.

Pastor Art