DEVOTIONS

Monday, May 15 – “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:9) What is your money good for?  To pay your bills?  Yes.  How about buy your food, clothing, housing and entertainment?  Again, yes.  How about blessing the people in your life?  Big YES!  But how many of us truly see and live this last “good for” in our lives?  If you do see your money as a way to bless others, please pray for the rest of us.  For far too many followers of Jesus have developed a greedy, I will serve money, mentality.  As opposed to a my money is as gift from God and all gifts from God are to be used to bless others, mentality. 

Tuesday, May 16 – “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Mathew 10:37) These are tough words from Jesus.  Is he saying that you can’t love and care for your parents or children?  No.  He’s using such a drastic statement to make the point that nothing in this world is more important than your relationship with God.  Your parents are a gift from God.  Your children are a gift from God.  The air that you breathe is a gift from God.  The food that you eat is a gift from God.  And on and on and on.  No gift can ever come before the giver. 

Wednesday, May 17 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6) Who or what you put before God is based on your fear.  You put money before God because you’re afraid that you won’t be able to supply your needs.  You put your relationships before God because you’re afraid of being alone.  You put material possessions before God because you’re afraid that you nobody else will take care of you.  Your problem isn’t a lack of love for God.  Your problem is the fear that’s controlling your life.  Get real about your fear and allow God to meet you there.

Thursday, May 18 – “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:25) In other words, if you make your life all about you – what you can get and what you can keep – you will lose all that your life was intended to be.  If you make your life all about discovering who you are intended to be, as a follower of Jesus, you will find your life.  In fact, this pursuit is your life.  This life, your life, is a gift.  And as with every gift, there’s an intention behind the giving of your life.  God has given you your life and desires for you to be who you have been created to be.  To experience the life that is uniquely and divinely yours.             

Friday, May 19 – “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them.  And how much more valuable you are than birds!” (Luke 12:24) You worry about many things because deep down you don’t understand how valuable you are in God’s eyes.  You are a one-of-a-kind.  There has never been anyone else just like you and there will never ever be anyone again, just like you.  When God created you, the mold was broken. If God thinks that much about you, to make you a one-of-a-kind, don’t you think that God will also take care of you?      

Saturday, May 20 – “So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:31) One big difference between you and animals is that you have been created in the image of God.  This means that you have an understanding of eternal matters. You don’t have all the answers.  But you know enough to ask questions.  Animals haven’t been created in the image of God.  Thus, they have no understanding of eternal matters.  No animal asks the same questions that you do.  With that said, God still cares for the animals. If God cares for the animals, who haven’t been created in the image of God, don’t you think that God will also care for you, who has been created in the image of God?