Devotion: Putting first things first
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life.And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which I here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith. So do not worry saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?”For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34
FOCUS. It’s a common word that has come to mean so much more in today’s Hurry up world.
We have focus groups, the media and advertising practically demands that we focus our attentions to this idea or that product. We even try to get our children to focus on their everything from their chores at home, to their homework and projects, and the game. Even writing this devotion was hard for me to focus.
It seems so easy and simple on the exterior, but it’s not. Life throws so much at us all at once that it seems often there isn’t enough time to focus on one thing at a time. On Sunday morning, Pastor Greg asked us to quiet our hearts and bring our minds to a basis for everything in our lives. To our relationship with our Lord and Savior. To the quiet place in our hearts and minds where we are allowed to forget the world and just breathe. Breath in the simplicity of a life based on putting our relationship with God first and foremost in our being.
The scripture above reminds me of this very thing: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you.” There’s even a song on this text. Christ asked us to do this many times through the gospels. To focus our attentions on the peace that comes to mind as we allow ourselves to sink into His loving arms. To reel in the idea of how much He loves us and wants this relationship is overwhelming. How can we take it in?
I don’t pretend to have all the answers because I myself have a hard time doing this and it’s a constant struggle to make the time needed to have and nourish this relationship. I read a book years ago, I don’t remember the name of it now, but it was written by a young mother who was trying to do the very same thing, develop her relationship with God through devoting her daily efforts toward that relationship. So much of her writing was funny but I what remember her most was her effort to remember God in her every moment. Even as she cleaned her toilet, “Just as God washes me whiter than snow of my sin.”
Leaving myself completely open to God entering my daily life in every moment is an exciting thought. The only advice I can offer is to just try it! As life hurries by, insert God into every corner. The coupon you found in your purse that saves you money. The parking place that appears when you’re in a hurry to get things done. The sunrise every morning. All these can be reminders during the day of God’s hand in my life.
Heavenly Father, Oh how I love those gentle reminders of how you love me! Please keep them coming! Amen.
Written by Fran Baatz