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asting Devotional Day Sixteen: Monday, January 17, 2022 Text: Matthew 6:33-34
By Taylor Jaramillo
Thoughts:
Jesus is telling us not to worry. That seems easier said than done. We have demanding jobs, bills to pay, deadlines to meet, and families to raise. All these things in addition to serving the Lord and living our life according to his purpose. It can be overwhelming and not surprisingly…stir up feelings of worry. How are we going to manage being a faithful servant of Christ, wife/husband, sister/brother, mom/dad, friend, neighbor, employee, and all the other roles we fulfill?
It is easy to get caught up in the things we have to do that we fall victim to the mindset of, “If I can just make it through this week, if I can just survive this presentation, once I finish this semester, just make it through this season of life, THEN I can focus on my relationship with Christ.” But Matthew 6:33 says “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” This scripture from the sermon on the mount gives us freedom from worry. By focusing on our relationship with Him, then He will provide everything we need to meet our deadlines, pay our bills, and MORE. The next verse (Matthew 6:34) goes on to say, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day hasenough trouble of its own.” Again, this verse frees us from worry. We must seek first his kingdom and take each day one at a time. Tomorrow is not promised so how can we glorify God today?
I must confess, starting my residency program at Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center has been tough. I feel like I have no time for anything other than work and it has put my relationship with Christ in the back seat. But praise God for His holy spirit and conviction! I was rounding with my team in the transplant intensive care unit discussing treatment plans for a patient. The nurse asked me how I was doing, and I said, “Eh, surviving I guess.” When I asked how he was doing, he simply said, “I am blessed. God is so so good.” WOW my heart exploded. In that small moment he was able to glorify God, spread joy, and allow the Holy Spirit to move through him to convict my heart. Life is hard. Residency is tough. The days are long. But when I seek first His kingdom, I can see His face every day. I can exude joy and seek to glorify Him one day at a time. Most importantly, I can trust Him with my life. What is all this work for if I am not putting Him first? It is worthless without Him. By changing my mindset to seek FIRST His kingdom and not worry about tomorrow, I can freely live in His calling on my life.
Challenge:
As we continue through this prayer and fasting journey, think about how you can glorify God right now… TODAY. Remind yourself with this scripture that we can have freedom from worry when we seek first His kingdom. We can trust that He will provide for us in every aspect of our life. He will not just meet the need but exceed all expectations. When we give Him our all, He gives us even more.