Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.
Philippians 3:19 NIV
Destiny is Destruction
More than 300 years ago, Canada’s deadliest volcanic eruption killed 2,000 Indigenous people in what is now northwestern B.C. The worst known geophysical disaster in our country’s history, the eruption produced a plume of toxic smoke and a river of lava that destroyed two villages and suffocated thousands of people, according to Nisga’a oral history. Legend tells of a great trembling and a rush of fire and smoke, sent down the mountain by an angry Creator to punish a group of children for harming salmon.
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People who don’t know Jesus often criticize those of us who love Him as being too heavenly-minded. It was C.S. Lewis that said that only when a person is heavenly-minded is he any earthly good. That is certainly confirmed by the amount of serving others done by Jesus’ followers. The Bible often speaks to just how earthly minded those are who don’t know Christ, and it isn’t in a positive way. Paul writes this in Philippians 3:19: “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.” When our desires become our master, we risk losing sight of the eternal. Paul challenges us to examine what rules our hearts. Is it ambition, approval, or material gain? These things promise satisfaction but often leave us empty. Paul’s warning is not just about behaviour—it’s about identity. When we glory in what brings shame, we reveal a heart disconnected from God’s truth. Today, take time to ask God to reveal any earthly attachments that may be pulling your heart away from Him.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley