THEY DO NOT LAST FOREVER by Robert Soto

THEY DO NOT LAST FOREVER by Robert Soto

January 21, 2010

Matthew 6:19-20 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."

I lost a good friend the other day. We had been walking together for a little over six years. I first met my friend at a store in the big city of San Antonio, Texas. I met him while walking around a music store. I knew that my life would never be the same again. My friend has traveled all over the United States and into fourteen other countries with me. Every time I fly out to an event, or drive to a pow wow, I take him along with me. My friend has served me well and I will truly miss him. So when I heard the bad news, it hit me hard. The first thing I wondered was if life would ever be the same. I sat there and heard him play his last note. It was sad and I know finding a replacement will be hard. He has brought me through plenty of sleepless nights or tired evenings when I had to drive home through the night. Many of you who know me might be asking who this friend was. Well, it was my discman cd player. Actually I found it hard to believe that it lasted this long, almost six and a half years. My wife said it was a miracle it lasted over a year.

You are probably wondering why I'm writing about my discman player? Well, as long as I desired it to last forever, I had to realize that the things of this world do not last forever. For me it was my discman but for you it might be your car or your boat or your motorcycle. It might be your house or your health our your sports ability. For me, the loss of my discman was only a reminder that the things we treasure the most in this life will not last forever. The things that we place value in will soon be gone. Before you know it, your youthful energy will be lost as you get older and weaker. So each day is a constant reminder that things will change and things will grow old and things will give up, even our bodies. We are reminded that the only things that will last forever will be the things we do for God the Creator. Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." I have already replaced my discman but life will never the same without my old one, so I think.

Robert Soto, Lipan Apache and pastor of:

McAllen Grace Brethren Church
The Native American New Life Center
Chief of Chiefs Christian Church