At some point in our lives, many of us will invest money for our retirement. Those of us who are retired may be drawing an additional source of income from the investments that we made when we were younger. Some, however, may have seen their retirement money wiped out in recent economic downturns. Are you putting your faith in money — or in the kingdom of God, as Scripture tells us?

It is important to plan ahead for our retirement and our future. For advice on how to invest our money wisely, a financial advisor can help. We also need to plan ahead for our spiritual future — in God’s kingdom. For advice on how to invest wisely in the kingdom of God, the Bible can help.

* Invest in a relationship with Jesus Christ — “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 NKJV)

* Invest in prayer — “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV)

* Invest in spiritual growth — “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23a NKJV)

*Invest in serving others — “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Galatians 5:13-14 NLT)

* Invest in sharing your faith — “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” (Mark 16:15b NLT)

* Invest in studying God’s Word — “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105 NLT)

* Invest in using your gifts to build up the body of Christ — “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” (1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT)

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:19-21 NLT)

What are you investing your life in? Our financial investments will not last forever but all that we invest in the kingdom of God will last for eternity.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, all that we have is a gift from You. We thank You for all the ways that we can invest in Your kingdom. Help us to be willing to invest our time and make the sacrifices that are necessary to live a life that is worthy of our calling as believers in Jesus Christ. May we invest our time, our talents, and our treasures wisely as we seek to serve You and others for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Copyright © 2021, by Dee Renaud, first published on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional presbycan.ca .
Sauble Beach, Ontario, Canada