Come again?

      There is a particularly rude bumper sticker that I have seen that says "whoever dies with the most toys wins."  It seems to me to be the antithesis of everything I believe. Certainly it is not comparable with what Christians believe, it is so much about ‘now’ and 'me' and not about hope in the future or salvation or heaven. 

      How sad it is to think of living always trying to find an elusive satisfaction, some kind of wholeness or inner peace by always seeking out some new ‘toy’ or possession that never really delivers it. It’s as if you drank the kool-aid of Madison Avenue only to find it’s a slow, torturous unsatisfying death. It is the epitome of life sucks and then you die philosophy.
   
      The Word became flesh over 2000 years ago to show us that possessions are not the answer. In fact, the Apostles and early church lived communal lives, as in communes. Perhaps way ahead of their time, they knew the answer was in inner peace, conversion of heart and hope in the Resurrection. Thy kingdom come was what made the evils of this world bearable, not some transient, unfulfilling new toy or distraction.

       Christians , as with many religions and philosophies try to live and see God in the present with an eye towards the future. It seems horribly empty and sad to make possessions our God, to have possessions own us and have no hope in spiritual nature that is as much a part of us our physical being.

    

Our  in heaven,
   hallowed be your name. 

Your kingdom come.
   Your will be done,
     on earth as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our debts,
     as we also have forgiven our debtors. 
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
     but rescue us from the evil one.