Thoughts on wealth and the Kingdom of God

 *** Der Originaltext von Holger Schmidtke, in deutscher Sprache wurde gestern eingestellt. Einfach zum Eintrag von gestern herunterscrollen.
Holger, who wrote the prayer that touches on the Bible text about the rich man and his chances to reach the Kingdom of God, has been on the Bible Dialogue team for many years. Today, as coach and pastor, he still helps people find access to their spirituality. 

The Rich and the Kingdom of God
A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”
“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18, 18-27) 

Prayer: God, yearning of the heart, we strive for many things in life that people deem of great importance. We want to have a good job and a career. We want money and property, we want to have it all and still be free. We ask you, please, free us from the chains of our notions, let us be ready to see life in a whole new way. Help us to learn how to concentrate on what is essential and necessary so that we don’t lose ourselves in the array of material things. For you have promised us the treasure of your love.
God, yearning of the heart, in our society, many people spend their time with the illusion of money: getting it, investing it, losing and winning have become the rules of our lives. Even human beings have become a commodity, that can be useful or not. We ask you, please, free us from the chains of our notions, and teach us the path of your love that lets us see a neighbour in another person, your image in his or her eyes, and helps us regard human dignity above any stocks or bonds. For you have promised us the treasure of your love.
God, yearning of the heart, the question of peace in the world has become a question of money. He, who can afford enough weapons, sets the rules. Yet, dependency makes us unhappy, lets hate grow and it is a form of violence that leads to violent conflict. And so we lament the misery of the people in Syria, In Israel/Palestine, in North Africa. We ask you, please, free us from the chains of our notions, that we may learn trust and reconciliation, starting with small gestures and examples. Grant us courage to approach one another and give hope. For you have promised us the treasure of your love.