Approaching God and the Futility of Wealth
As Solomon unpacks what it means to fear God, he emphasizes God’s power and magnitude. Our understanding of who God is and what he has done should drive whole-hearted worship that is born from a posture of humility. Solomon also warns his audience against accumulating wealth—it will leave us empty and always seeking more.
Study Questions
As Solomon unpacks what it means to fear God, he emphasizes God’s power and magnitude. Our understanding of who God is and what he has done should drive whole-hearted worship that is born from a posture of humility. Solomon also warns his audience against accumulating wealth—it will leave us empty and always seeking more.Application
When we come into God’s presence, Solomon says we must keep our “ears open” and “mouth shut.” What does this practice look like for you—in both your daily rhythms of worship and when you gather for corporate worship? How can you be fully engaged and grow in your comprehension of who God is?
Part of fearing God means we don’t take our commitment to him lightly. In what areas of your life do you feel your highest sense of responsibility and commitment? What does it mean to honor our commitments to God in practices like serving, communion, and baptism?
We are conditioned by a context of wealth. Consider the desires that drive your life—are you satisfied with the money you have? What does that reveal about the state of your heart? What would it look like for you to use your money to build God’s kingdom instead of your own?
Key Points
We must not approach God in a mindless, half-hearted, or self-focused manner. Instead, we should engage our whole selves when we worship God.
These faults are rooted in a lack of understanding of who God is. Fearing God is about realizing how big and powerful he is and how small we are.
We all fear something. If we fear God, then we don’t have to fear death. Indeed, he is worthy of our fear, and it brings us to a posture of worship.
Those who worship money are never satisfied. As you consume money, it becomes more likely that money will consume you.
Instead of building wealth for ourselves, our driving purpose should be building God’s kingdom. Money is an indicator of the heart—we must consider why we save, why we spend, and why we give.
Health and wealth are gifts from God, not something we should strive for.