“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33, NIV)
A while ago, I accidently stepped on a wooden toothpick that was lying on my bathroom floor. Oh my goodness, did that ever hurt! I knelt down to pick up the toothpick… missing the wooden tip. Yes, I now had a chunk of toothpick lodged in the side of my foot. I spent hours trying to squeeze, tweeze, poke, and pluck the splinter out. It nagged and hurt and throbbed. This little piece of wood was no more than a centimeter, but I thought about it so much! It affected so much of my day-to-day: what shoes I wore, the activities I could do, what occupied my thoughts and my time. I kept thinking, “It is amazing how something so miniscule could affect your life so much!”
A splinter is a small thing, but when it’s lodged in your skin, everything gets off-kilter and uncomfortable. A small thing with big ramifications.
As the week went on, I had found myself trying various at-home remedies like swabbing my foot with honey, baking soda, salt, banana peels… you get desperate! But one thing that came to my mind as I pondered the significance of such a small object, is how a seemingly small sin can affect your life in an incredibly significant way.
As our verse says, Jesus calls us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and He tells us that our needs will be provided for. This calling to “seek Him” isn’t an option. If we’ve signed onto follow Jesus, we are to go after him and the way he wants us to live before anything else. There are so many “little” ways I get this wrong. By caring more about checking my phone than checking in with prayer. Going to friends for advice instead of going to Scripture. These are “little” choices but if they fester and remain, we will feel the effects.
Is something off-kilter or not quite right in your heart? Is there a habit you need His help to break? Are you seeking the Lord as you should and trusting him to provide? Maybe you’ve come out of a season where you haven’t been faithfully reading the Bible. Do you feel it; how life feels awkward and not quite right?
God is so gracious, and a week after I stepped on that toothpick, I woke up one morning and the splinter had popped right out. I nearly cried in relief! He is so good and with His grace, he heals those tender and sore places to help us serve Him with a willing heart.
Prayer: God, please be gracious to us. We want to serve You, but we need your help. Take my heart and cleanse every part so I can be better for you.
In Jesus’ Powerful Name
Amen
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Posted: January 15, 2020 by GGM
Relief That Comes When Seeking Him First
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33, NIV)
A while ago, I accidently stepped on a wooden toothpick that was lying on my bathroom floor. Oh my goodness, did that ever hurt! I knelt down to pick up the toothpick… missing the wooden tip. Yes, I now had a chunk of toothpick lodged in the side of my foot. I spent hours trying to squeeze, tweeze, poke, and pluck the splinter out. It nagged and hurt and throbbed. This little piece of wood was no more than a centimeter, but I thought about it so much! It affected so much of my day-to-day: what shoes I wore, the activities I could do, what occupied my thoughts and my time. I kept thinking, “It is amazing how something so miniscule could affect your life so much!”
A splinter is a small thing, but when it’s lodged in your skin, everything gets off-kilter and uncomfortable. A small thing with big ramifications.
As the week went on, I had found myself trying various at-home remedies like swabbing my foot with honey, baking soda, salt, banana peels… you get desperate! But one thing that came to my mind as I pondered the significance of such a small object, is how a seemingly small sin can affect your life in an incredibly significant way.
As our verse says, Jesus calls us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and He tells us that our needs will be provided for. This calling to “seek Him” isn’t an option. If we’ve signed onto follow Jesus, we are to go after him and the way he wants us to live before anything else. There are so many “little” ways I get this wrong. By caring more about checking my phone than checking in with prayer. Going to friends for advice instead of going to Scripture. These are “little” choices but if they fester and remain, we will feel the effects.
Is something off-kilter or not quite right in your heart? Is there a habit you need His help to break? Are you seeking the Lord as you should and trusting him to provide? Maybe you’ve come out of a season where you haven’t been faithfully reading the Bible. Do you feel it; how life feels awkward and not quite right?
God is so gracious, and a week after I stepped on that toothpick, I woke up one morning and the splinter had popped right out. I nearly cried in relief! He is so good and with His grace, he heals those tender and sore places to help us serve Him with a willing heart.
Prayer: God, please be gracious to us. We want to serve You, but we need your help. Take my heart and cleanse every part so I can be better for you.
In Jesus’ Powerful Name
Amen
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