Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Wake-up Call

36 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until daybreak. 37 Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. 38 About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died. 1 Samuel 25:36-38

Remember his name means fool.

He was pretending to be somebody he wasn't.

He was totally unaware of the destruction he just avoided.

He was not prepared to help the needy, but he could throw a big party.

He was happy, not because he had peace with God, but because he was drunk.

He had no idea about the ways of God and His wrath.

Sound familiar? I think it describes most of us.

Maybe it sounds familiar in another way; maybe you've heard this parable:

15Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

 16And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'

 18"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '

 20"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'

 21"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." Luke 12:15-21

A fool is a person who lives without God.

A fool does not see death looming.

A fool is self centered.

A fool measures his life by possessions.

A fool loves things more than people.

A fool shows no reverence or awe towards God.

A fool shows no fear or trembling in the ways of God.

A fool is dead in so many ways!

No comments: