Today’s Reading: Matthew 6:25-34, 7:7-11; Psalm 17
“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” – Matthew 6:21
The desires of my heart are reflected in what I cherish or hold dear. So what have I placed great value on; what do I love so dearly that I make great efforts to keep it safe? If I lost everything today, what part of that loss would break my heart the most? Let’s look back at yesterday’s questions in the context of this next passage.
AM I SERVING GOD OR MYSELF?
Am I working to advance the Kingdom of God or am I building my own kingdom?
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life – whether you have enough food or drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” – Matthew 6:25-27
What good is worrying doing for me? What value does it add to my life to dwell on the what-ifs and the how-comes of life? Will it change the outcome if I sit and toil over it? Have I excused my worrying by redefining it as prayer, or am I authentically choosing to pray over the things of life that tempt me to worry? Is my trust in God displayed in my thought life or in my emotional health? Perhaps today is the day for me to find freedom from my habit of worry and my obsession with concern.
“And why worry about clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?” – Matthew 6:28-30
WHY DO YOU HAVE SO LITTLE FAITH?
It is easy for us to start worrying about the everyday things in life — food, clothes, finances, employment, health, etc. We often let worry take over our thoughts and consume our day. Yet Jesus’ sermon is a great reminder that we serve a God who understands; we worship a God who cares and who is faithful to provide what we need. He wants us to take our focus off of these things so that we can be focused on the eternal instead of the temporary.
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek first the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” – Matthew 6:31-33
AM I SERVING GOD OR MYSELF?
Am I working to advance the Kingdom of God or am I building my own kingdom?
God calls me to give Him the desires of my heart and let Him replace them with the desires of His heart. God calls me to give Him my focus so that He can fill my eyes with His light and turn my attention to that which has eternal value. If my eyes are focused on God, if my heart is filled with His desires, if I am serving God and not myself, than these next verses will be true in my life:
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8
Before I bring my requests to God, I need to get my eyes focused on the Kingdom of God. I need to pray for the Lord to empty my heart of any desire that does not reflect the beautiful heart of God. Once I have done that, I am ready to pray for the things that matter to God. Then I am ready to ask, seek and knock. I am ready to pray from a faith that believes my Heavenly Father wants to pour out His blessings on us as He bends down to listen to our prayers (Psalm 17:6).
“You parents – if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?” – Matthew 7:9-11
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” – Matthew 6:34
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. – 1 Peter 5:7