1 Clement chapters 33-35

I'm realizing more and more that one of my faults is an obsession over money.  Are we going to be poor?  Will we live in a box?  If have a child, will I be able to feed him or her?  I think I have calmed down today.

This past November, Granny passed away.  I received an inheritance but was hesitant to tithe from it.  Then, I lost the security of my job.  After 2.5 months, I finally tithed it.

Today, I do the "Finance" chapter of the marriage counseling book.  We have also started reading through total money makeover.  The chapter in the marriage book listed a ton of Proverbs and other Bible verses to show what our attitude should be toward money.

I felt ashamed.  Most of the verses talked about hard work and saving resources, but it shamed me to think that I had been hording at the same time.  More often, the Proverbs encourage people to freely give away their money.  To walk in integrity and fear of the Lord is more important than great possessions.  So, I must move on.  The good news: with a fiance, I feel like I can finally do this.

Clement cheers on the Corinthians to live as people who have been blessed by God.  To do so, he continues, "Let us hasten with all energy and readiness of mind to perform every good work."  God rejoices in all of his work, especially the humans created in his image.  God adorned the righteous men with good works, so they should follow his will.

Isaiah 62:12 says, "“Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.”  Revelation 22:12 echoes this.  This reminds us all that we must keep living unlike the rest of the world.  We must care more about the Lord and about his people than we do about possessions.  We must value human life over money in the bank.  Jesus will come and order the whole world to his original plan.  Clement also says to consider his angels, who stand ever ready to minister to his will.  Instead of worrying about money and status, we simply need to be ready to do his will, meaning we must know Scripture inside-out and pray constantly.

"Let us strive to be found in the number of those that wait for him in order to share in his promised gifts."  The answer is not doing good works or keeping up a moral quota.  The answer is to simply seek what is pleasing and acceptable to God.