More Precious Than Gold - Daily Devotional May 14th, 2010

Bible Reading - Numbers 23, Psalm 64-65, Isaiah 13, 1 Peter 1

More Precious Than Gold

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold" (Proverbs 22:1). This Proverb is one that needs to be one that in is instilled in us as believers. We need to make sure that we are always going after good Godly character and genuine faith rather than perishable riches. This great character and genuine faith is more precious than gold.

The process of getting to true genuine faith is not always an easy road to travel and is often one that we did not intend to travel, but if we can stick it out the end result is a greater revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ". The genuine faith that Peter speaks of here that is more precious than gold only gets that way when we have been grieved by various trials (please notice various trials).

These various trials that Peter speaks of are compared to the fire that tests gold. The fiery trials that grieve us, form character in us through pressure and pain and things that are outside of our control. We learn through these trials how to carry ourselves as Christ did. We learn things for our future and how we will handle things different with others. Most importantly though it gives us a faith that is so genuine that it is more precious than gold.

This genuine faith is formed because when we are walking through things that make no sense to us, things that cause grief in our life and we can only do one thing - lean fully on Jesus Christ. I remember the season of my life as I was preparing to start Urban. There were some former leaders in my life that made false accusations against me. Things that were not only completely untrue but hindered my relationship with other people and with potential partners to help me start the church. This season was hard because of what was being said and also because of who was saying it. I had a hard time wrapping may mind around the fact that people I worked with and people who were also Christians would do what they were doing. I was grieved and absolutely non of it made sense. It was during this season however that my relationship with God grew stronger as I could only lean on Him and trust in Him.

Today I can say with absolute confidence that even though that season was difficult, I am happy for it and would not change it for the world. It was this season that actually prepared me for starting the church and it is this season that gave me a genuine faith that is more precious than gold.

How about you today? What grievous trials are you finding yourself in? I know that it is not fun and that it is hard but trust me as you lean on Jesus Christ you will end up with a genuine faith that is more precious than gold.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Numbers 24, Psalm 66-67, Isaiah 14, 1 Peter 2

Dream Big
Ben