Jun 21: Matthew 6:19-23
Key Verse: Matthew 6:19
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
Devotion:
What are the things in life you strive after? Are there possessions you hold onto because of their worth, or maybe you are trying to build up lots of money in the bank so you don’t have to worry about it when you are older… We all have the things we try to build up, but Jesus was warning people they should not be trying to build up things on earth for the sake of those things…
The more we try to build things up, the more we look for things to add to our collection and the more we get fixated on those things in life. If we are not careful they take over from reality and from God’s purpose and we soon lose our way. When we do that we are no longer giving God the glory but piling it up on our possessions instead.
Our hearts then belong to those things and no longer to God…
We may think we are still following God and trying to do His will; but when our hearts are focused on something else, we don’t always do what is right by God, instead we end up doing what we want to make more of the things we want.
This is not to say we should throw it all away and not get involved with anything to do with money and possessions – God wants us to do what is right and if we don’t have money and possessions we may not be able to pay our taxes or to help people in the way we may be able to otherwise. It is difficult path to follow and a balancing act all the way along...
Points to Ponder:
Do you focus too much on earthly things?
Do you use what you have to do God’s work?