Fasting Devotional Day Fifteen: Sunday, January 16, 2022 Text: Matthew 6:25-32
By Justin Jaramillo
Thoughts:
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Jesus challenges us from beginning to end in this section! What is the point of focusing on earthly things that do not affect us in eternity? Jesus draws comparisons to the beauty and splendor of nature to remind us that these simple things take no thought, yet they thrive in such a way that makes us stop and admire such as the birds soaring free or the beauty of a flower that might not ever be seen by human eyes. The flower is provided for without ever moving and the birds are fed yet they do not farm. WE, God’s favorite creation, often spend our lives in a constant state of struggle and noise worrying if we will be provided for. In verse thirty-one we are told again. “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?” And the solution is simple in verse thirty-two he tells us, “For the Lord KNOWS we need these.” Life is hard, and God has provided everything we need to be sustained and thrive as his servants. It's that simple God is telling us TRUST in him, and you will not hunger or thirst.
I think back to when my wife and I first began to tithe, 10% might as well have been a fortune to us in those years. We struggled to truly trust in him at that time, and the first time we did, my wife received a scholarship for twice the amount we gave. That was God's affirmation of his plan for our growth moving forward.
Challenge:
So many times, putting faith in God to provide is a challenge, my faith has been tested and at every turn God has provided for my family, yet we still struggle to trust in God and his plan. Take this time of reflection to hear God's words, remove the noise from the daily grind and sit with God and ask what, where, who is my focus today God?
Challenge yourself to focus on this instead of fixating on hunger, on thirst, on money. Allow God to be in the driver seat today to do his will, and not only for today let this change takeover in you and let THIS become you hunger.