I’m sure that many will want to read this devotional, based on it’s title, because times seem to be getting tougher in trying to get everything we need from the basic income we have. Everything is just so expensive anymore. But even after all your purchases, don’t you often feel like you are still missing out on a lot? After covering why Christians shouldn’t worry, Jesus gives us the secret of getting everything we need. Let’s look closer for the details!
DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-01-27
WRITTEN AT: Gainsville, FL
BY: Ed Algreen
SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 6:31-34
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)
BIBLE TEXT: 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
APPLICATION: One may wonder if at times we seem like ‘worry warts’ because of our persistence in worrying about every little thing. But Jesus gave us a title for that: ‘Imitators of unbelievers/unsaved’. Ouch, definitely not a compliment for the Christian who knows the Master of the seas; the Creator of mankind; the One who turned seas into hiways; Water into wine and who returned life again into a body He had once created. If we trust Him for daily life, air to breathe and sunlight to brighten our path, why is it that we tend to worry when the food supply seems short or money insufficient to purchase all we want? Is He not the same God spoken of in each of the cases above? Where is our faith? I remember an old grandmother sharing a testimony about a time when she wasn’t sure where she would find food for her children. While still on her knees begging God for mercy and grace to provide the necessary nourishment for her family, a knock came on the door. As she went to the door, there was her pastor with a box of food items that he felt impressed to bring to her. Our God WILL supply our needs dear friends, we just need to petition Him for our needs and be patient to His perfect timing. Most of us have gotten used to having not just what we need, but an excess of items that we ever wanted also. In our Scripture today, we are reminded that our faith and trust must be placed in the God of this universe, the One who created us and cares for us like no other. Jesus had just taught how we must learn to trust in Him with our finances, and in our faithful prayers. Then He goes on to teach us that He is our go-to for all things – even for our food for today. Notice how He reminded us how well He cares for the birds, so how much more would He care for those whom He made in His own image and for His own satisfaction? Friends, I believe that Jesus is even more protective and caring for us than we ever were able to accomplish with our own kids. Did you ever allow your kids to starve, or go without? How much more then would the Savior of the world care for us and provide for our needs? He went to the cross to prove His love for us, can’t you imagine how much further He would go to make sure we are taken care of while living among the likes of this earth? Now, for us to plug-in to those provisions and accept that wonderful love, we must be one who is willing to surrender ourselves and accept the love of God. You can do that, right? Just let go and say ‘Yes’ to Jesus, today – please?
BLESSING(S) NOTED: Visiting the food stores these days is proof enough that we can’t depend on the ‘food chain’ as we did in earlier days. Hearing of all the crime in our neighborhoods, it reminds us that we can’t always depend on law enforcement to know when crime will occur so they could be there to protect us. However, our Scripture reminds us that our God can, and will, supply all our needs, if we go to Him, place our trust in Him, and be willing to receive His loving care and His unending provisions! What an awesome God we serve!
PRAYER: Lord, we need You more today than we have ever acknowledged before. Please open our eyes, soften our hearts and hear our cry as we stop and acknowledge that we just can’t do this alone anymore. The unsaved are watching to see if Your kids are in any better shape than they are. Please remind us daily of the importance in letting go of selfish pride and looking to You for our daily needs. Only You can mend a broken heart and only You can save a sinner from the pit of Hell. May we be willing to say ’yes’ to You and acknowledge Your power and Your awesome love in providing our every need. Worrying is an action indicative of our past. Opening our hearts and accepting Your gifts each day for everything we need, shows the world the importance of knowing Jesus personally, and accepting His unending help and provisions. I’m Your’s Lord, please: touch me; heal me; revive me and fill me anew with Your unending love, so that I may be of better service in Your kingdom work here on earth. AMEN!