Scriptural Readings: Ecclesiastes 6:2; Psalms 94:11; 1 John 2:16-17; Matthew 6:33
Ecclesiastes 6:2
King James Version
A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this [is] vanity, and it [is] an evil disease.
New Living Translation
God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth! This is meaningless—a sickening tragedy.
Substitute is a comforting word. The feeling of delight happens after we accomplished an exchange for a frustrating effort. We recognize that there is a better replacement if we are not satisfied with our efforts.
In the distressing time that we are experiencing right now, with no exception, every one of us is looking for an alternate to practically everything. Satisfaction is a futile word today. Change is imperative. It seems that nothing fits the thing we are changing. Did it ever cross our minds that our attitude is the cause? It boils down to the “I will never stop till I get on top.” But this thing on being on top never stops. We never stop. A substitute will always be there, enticing us to choose from the options. After all, getting on top through adventure is satisfying for some, but until when?
Psalms 94:11
King James Version
The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they [are] vanity.
New Living Translation
The Lord knows people’s thoughts; he knows they are worthless!
A substitute or the substitute? Is there a difference? In the spiritual realm, it has. We will always have a backup as a replacement, and the alternate who is Jesus whom God gave us remained unattended. The only thing we know is to rely on our futile actions. God deals with us, a reality we have to be well aware of what is happening daily. We are constantly ready for the change in our temporal lives, which by the way, most of the time is a time-consuming effort due primarily to our unreliable, disappointing management. Our endeavor must have spiritual essence!
King James Version
1 John 2:16-17
V.16 For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
V.17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
New Living Translation
V.16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
V.17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
What is odd about the Christian life is that we must first deal with spiritual matters followed by earthly affairs. Time is an element when God delivers something for us to accomplish or reveal. Due to our impatience, we substitute something in God’s plan. God’s plan for us is perfect. We are not supposed to change or mess up things that God prepared for us. Jesus is the substitute. There are no replacements God has given us. What we cannot see and that we have to get rid of is our stubbornness. We have seen His works, but we still believe in lies we have been told.
Matthew 6:33
King James Version
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
New Living Translation
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
We are running out of time. God has set a timetable here on earth, and everything will come to its end. Are we still on to have a substitute? If so, we will be blind to the reality we are looking for in our lives. If we still insist our way, everything will come into naught. Our Father has given us the Substitute, not a substitute, and He is our Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever we might be looking or asking, Jesus is the substitute. It is plain and simple. We have to accept what the Lord Jesus did on the cross. As soon as we accept what Jesus did in Calvary, automatically we will be seeking His kingdom, and this time it will be very clear for us the things we are longing for, not only looking for with no doubt and full of confidence.
Many of us might be still in the habit of having a substitute, and this has become a lifestyle. God has given us a new life when we were born again. He has substituted our unreliable life for a life of confidence through His son Jesus, completely changing our body, soul, and spirit. Let us stop looking for a substitute. Let us trust and put our faith in Jesus, and he will give you everything you need.