Off to Be the Wizard (Magic 2.0)

  I finished Off to be the Wizard, the first in Scott Meyer's Magic 2.0 series.  It's a fun read about a man who discovers computer code that allows him to change his life, quickly leading him into trouble with the modern law before sending him back to 12th century England to be a wizard, only to discover that he's not the first programmer to chart this unique course.  I enjoyed the book, and there's enough action to keep the pages turning.  It's not a terribly challenging read, but it's nice to have something light-hearted, considering that 9 out of every 10 articles on the internet today have to do with Donald Trump.
  Off to Be the Wizard is a wonderful cautionary tale about what can happen when you suddenly have unexpected power.  If you were granted the ability to make every wish come true, to give yourself infinite wealth, would that solve every problem?  The short answer, demonstrated sadly by large numbers of lottery winners, is that the answer is no.  So often, people who come into large amounts of wealth discover that riches can bring great tribulation into life.  Having your dreams come true doesn't always mean what we think it might mean.  I walked by the powerball notice today, which is now at $410MM, and it's easy to think that would solve all my problems.  It might solve some of them, but I imagine it would create different ones.
  As a Christian, I am taught that true satisfaction comes only from Christ.  The world offers satisfaction, but often the things it promises don't match up with reality.  It offers products or relationships that should satisfy needs or wants, but these often tend to be temporary satisfactions, and I end up craving more.  My appetite grows and grows, and this can lead to dangerous cycles.  What started out promising to satisfy ends up dominating my life and leaving me empty and alone.
  In Christ, our true needs to love and companionship are met.  This is why the Bible talks so much about being rich toward God -- monetary wealth can be wonderful in some ways, but it can also leave us being fearful and anxious.  There is no room for fear when we are rich in God -- for that cannot be taken away from us.  When we are rich in God, we are fed by Him, and that fills the soul in the way a good meal cannot.  When we are embraced by Him, we experience an unconditional love the world cannot duplicate.  When we are truly satisfied by Him, we come to learn that nothing the world can offer can duplicate that sensation.