Monday, July 1, 2024
[Jesus emphasized the following truth to his disciples,] "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."
Decades ago, in my early formative years, I had a brother in Christ tell me, "Phil, what your heart passionately pursues, your life follows like a heat-seeking missile!" He used our verses for today as he taught about seeking God above all else. I approached him after his talk. He emphasized that this truth was absolute. However, he warned that we could fool ourselves into thinking we are pursuing God while allowing our hearts to focus on lesser things. He then quoted this proverb:
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. [1]
Jesus' promise in our verses today emphatically teaches us this truth. Our passion must be seeking God's Kingdom and pursuing God's righteousness in our lives above all other distractions, pursuits, or goals. When we deceive ourselves and only talk about seeking God and His Kingdom first, we allow sinful distractions and selfish ambitions to derail our hearts. When we allow lesser pursuits to distract our hearts, then our lives follow those distractions, and we self-negate God's promise. Our lives follow what our hearts seek most passionately.
Let's ask for the Holy Spirit to help us become like Jesus and pursue God's will above our own. [2] Let's seek to discover and fulfill God's direction for our lives and not just a bunch of selfish and fleeting distractions! God longs to bless us with what blesses us now and endures through eternity!
Cleanse my heart, O, God! Purify my desires and align them with Your will and way in my life. I need the help of the Holy Spirit as I pursue becoming like my Lord Jesus, Who chose Your will and not His own. Father, I want to pursue You and Your Kingdom with my heart. I don't want distractions and selfishness to derail my heart's pursuit of You and Your glory. In Jesus' name, I make this commitment and prayer. Amen.
![Illustration of Matthew 6:31-33 NLT — [Jesus emphasized the following truth to his disciples,] "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."](https://img.heartlight.org/overlazy/creations/31152.jpg "Illustration of Matthew 6:31-33 NLT — [Jesus emphasized the following truth to his disciples,] \"So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.\"")
Together in Christ is a daily devotional that focuses on what Scripture teaches about godly living in relationships.
'Together in Christ' is written by Phil Ware.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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