Dec 03 2024

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

In this verse, which is part of the famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells the gathering crowd that they should seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and that everything they need—clothes, food, shelter—will be given to them. This verse tells us a lot about the proper mindset for a Christian, and there is much we can learn from it and apply to our lives today.

It is important to note that the verse does not mean we should never think about getting a job or providing food for our families. Rather, it's telling us that these things are far less important than seeking the kingdom of God. But what does seeking the kingdom of God mean?

At its most basic, seeking the kingdom of God means that we should seek to please Him by doing the things He values in His kingdom. In other words, we should be living according to His righteousness—believing that our holiness is more important even than the clothes on our backs. The Lord knows that the most important thing in our lives is our relationship with Him, and because sin makes that relationship impossible, He wants us to be holy—living as He has guided us. This is one example of what it means to seek His kingdom first.

Once we have put God first in our lives, He will take care of the rest. This doesn't mean that we will always have what we want or think we need at any given moment. What it does mean is that He will sustain us through everything. When our eyes are focused on Him, we will be able to have peace through every circumstance, knowing that we are loved and secure in Jesus... yes, even when it seems like everything is falling apart.

Today, this verse prompts us to examine our priorities. Do our checkbooks, time logs, and conversations reveal that we are seeking God above all else, trusting that He will provide? If not, let's ask God to help us realign our lives with Jesus' words.

Dear Lord, I recognize that you are the one who provides all my needs. You fill me up, and I can never be poor when I know you for all that you are. Help me to look at my priorities candidly, facing myself so that I can see me as I am. I want to think about ways that I can start to seek your kingdom above all else. In Jesus' name, amen.

Dec 02 2024

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. :

In his last speech to the Israelites, Moses tells them they should love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and might. Today, although several millennia have passed, we should examine ourselves in light of Moses' words: Do we love God the way the Israelites were advised to?

This question isn't meant as a condemnation, but rather as a way to think about how we show devotion to the Lord in our lives. As Christians, we are supposed to be ever growing and increasing our knowledge and understanding of the Lord, and growing in love for Him is a natural consequence of that.

This verse explains three ways that we love the Lord: with our heart, our soul, and our might. There is an important word repeated throughout: all. God doesn't want only part of our hearts; He wants all of our hearts. He wants total devotion—not a divided heart.

We love the Lord with our hearts because He connects with each of us on a personal, emotional level. We feel His mercies and kindness in our hearts. We love the Lord with our souls because we know that the Gospel is true and that through it, we are saved. Finally, we love the Lord with all of our might. Rather than another reason for loving the Lord, this is more a description of how we love Him. We love Him with everything we have—all of our might!

Today, think about ways that you can intentionally show love to the Lord. It might be through reaching out to a friend, a neighbor, or a stranger. It might be spending extra time with Him throughout the day. Regardless of how you feel led to express your love for the Lord, focus on doing it with all of your heart, your soul, and your might—just as Moses told the Israelites so long ago.

Dear Lord, thank you for being a loving and gracious God. Thank you for loving me when I am not lovable and for reaching down into my heart and making me more like you. Show me ways that I can love you more. I want to love you with all my heart, soul, and might. In Jesus' name, amen.