“WHAT shall I do?” thought the rich man within himself, whose wealth was so great that he was perplexed where to put his goods. So he sat and pondered the matter over. Blessed he was, in earthly possessions, by the God of Israel to such an extent that, alas, as it is with too many, he left God out of his thoughts, and busied himself solely with his goods!
While he was thinking over the affairs of his life, God was pondering over his ways, and reckoning up his thoughts. He was not a bad man, he was not a flagrant sinner; he was merely occupied with his riches, and the ease of this life. It was but foresight to plan thus, “I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.” Thousands have done as he purposed to do. Thousands at this moment so thoroughly occupy themselves with things of time that they are blind to those of eternity. Very few, comparatively speaking, are occupied with the immense realities of a life to come. It might be thought, judging by the ways of men, that there was no future for them beyond this life no eternity for them to exist in forever!
Having made his plans, the rich man added, “I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” No more, care for the head which perishes, no more anxiety; all is well, all is peace, thought he; and then on his well-devised plans he went easily to sleep.
This is an everyday story. All over the world the details of it are being worked out. Life and its treasures, life and its ease, the hope of the soul. Eternity not even thought of! God not considered—His word, His warnings, His entreaties, out of sight and out of mind. Oh! what madness is this. Yet for the most part the world is smitten of this disease. Reader, how is it with you? Have you ever spent one hour alone in the light of eternity pondering over your future, and saying, “What shall I do?” When a man’s wealth or health is in question he is personal enough, but when the question is a man’s soul, alas, how he shirks it, or leaves it open!
Listen to the solemn answer of God to this man’s thoughts― “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” And when the night fell the rich man’s soul passed away from its dream-land into the reality of eternity.
“So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”