Seek first [your heavenly Father’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33 (NIV))
While I was sitting on the couch visiting with my grandson, who had just finished his first semester of college, my five-year-old granddaughter brought me a book so I could read her a bedtime story. For a few minutes, I continued to listen to my grandson’s tales of college life. But growing impatient, my granddaughter finally said, “Grandma! Focus!” We all had a good laugh, and then I read the story.
As I reflected on this the next day, I realized that listening to my grandson had been good, but at some point it was time for my focus to change to something else good. I wonder about the number of times that God might want to take hold of my arm and say, “Ruth! Focus!” I am often busy with worthwhile activities — taking care of my family, teaching classes at church, and volunteering for other projects in the church and community. Sometimes I am so busy that I skip my devotions and quiet time with God. I approach my day with an agenda that leaves out God.
I believe that prioritizing time with God is what Jesus meant when he said to seek first the kingdom. Each of us can ask, “Is this where God wants me at this moment?” Putting our relationship with God first gives us the best possible perspective in life.
TODAY'S PRAYER: Dear God, help us to quiet down and make time for you so we can put our focus where you want it to be. Amen.
TODAY'S READING: Matthew 6:25 “Therefore, I tell you, don’t worry about your life — what you will eat or drink; or about your body — what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds flying about! They neither plant nor harvest, nor do they gather food into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they are? 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to his life?
28 “And why be anxious about clothing? Think about the fields of wild irises, and how they grow. They neither work nor spin thread, 29 yet I tell you that not even Shlomo in all his glory was clothed as beautifully as one of these. 30 If this is how God clothes grass in the field — which is here today and gone tomorrow, thrown in an oven — won’t he much more clothe you? What little trust you have!
31 “So don’t be anxious, asking, ‘What will we eat?,’ ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘How will we be clothed?’ 32 For it is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. 33 But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Don’t worry about tomorrow — tomorrow will worry about itself! Today has enough tsuris already! (Complete Jewish Bible).
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: What is God asking me to focus on today?
PRAYER FOCUS: Volunteers
READ MORE: Link2Life - July 6
Link2Life - July 6
JULY 6, 2018 BY RUTH REAZIN (KANSAS)
RELATED DEVOTIONALS: “FOCUS!”
Present-day photo of Alex, Ruth, and Sidney Reazin
***
No comments:
Post a Comment