Day 8: The Illusion of Security

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Transcript
When it comes to money, most of us have one or more numbers in mind that we think will bring us a sense of security. For instance:

How much we want in the bank before we retire
How much we need to buy a house
How much our salary should be before accepting a position
How much we need to have saved, just in case

And those numbers come after a lot of thought. Those numbers are important. They’re good things to make plans toward. But if we’re not careful, we can attach too much security to those numbers. We can easily think, Once I have a certain amount of money, I’ll feel at ease. I’ll feel safe. I’ll have peace of mind.

But if peace is what we’re really after, financial stability is not the ultimate key to finding it. In fact, Jesus taught that anything other than a foundation built on God is destined for failure.

To paint that picture, in Matthew 7:24–27, Jesus tells a parable about two builders. In the passage, Jesus describes a wise builder who constructs his house on rock and a foolish builder who constructs his house on sand. When storms came, only one house stood—the one with the strong foundation.

With regards to our finances, the problem isn’t that we make plans or monitor our bank accounts—it’s that we can mistake our bottom line for an unshakable foundation. If our security is built on savings, a paycheck, or the economy, we are standing on sand. The storms of life will come—and when they do, our true foundation will be revealed.

But God invites us to something better—a security that isn’t dependent on money but on him. A life built on trust in God’s provision—which might not always look like what we were hoping for.

So, the question is: Where is our security really found? Is it in a number? Or are we building our lives on the firm foundation of God’s faithfulness?

“Heavenly Father,
Remind me that my security is in you, not my savings. Help me be wise with money, but remembering that you are my ultimate foundation. Amen.”