Life's Daily Challenge Devotional

Misplaced center of the universe

“By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones. You heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you," Ezekiel 28:16-17.

To the one who desires to use time wisely,

Whether you know it or not, you are in business. Life is a series of trades. Every moment of every day you exchange your time for whatever seems important or urgent to you at the moment. As you begin to understand this you must come to the realization that there is a crafty merchant competing for your business. The Bible gives insight into satan’s business in Ezekiel 28:5 and 16. “By great wisdom in trade you [Lucifer] have increased your riches....By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned....”

Lucifer was cast out of the presence of God because he set up his own business in heaven. More accurately, he attempted a hostile take-over of God’s business. He traded with a third of the angels, gaining and keeping allegiance belonging to God. He was sentenced and banished, along with the hosts who did business with him. Once cast out, this evil band, with satan as its leader, continued doing business on the earth. He’s been doing this ever since.

Ironically, as central as this system of trading is to the welfare of man, most people are not aware that it is taking place. The enticement is simply toward self-promotion, protection and gratification. The enemy’s temptation is to pursue whatever will make you happy and comfortable. Self-awareness unites with the fear of mortality, driving people to “Be all that they can be.” Sometimes this is obvious and hedonistic. Sometimes it’s more subtle. Some people demand their own rights and “live” like there’s no tomorrow. They vigorously climb life’s ladders, trying to challenge the inevitable barriers of time and space. Others compete internally. Fear paralyzes their outward pursuits, so they exercise subconscious control. These people do all the right things for all the wrong reasons. They live for the expectations of others, trading good deeds for approval and favor.

Whatever the end result is, every self-centered indulgence trades satan access into the world that God gave to man. It’s through this selfishness that he gains access to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). Meanwhile, people react by running life in overdrive (both internally and externally), hoping to pass death right by (or at least avoid thinking about it along the way).