By Jan Busboom
Begin with two minutes of silence
Scripture
Matthew 6:19-21- Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Devotional thoughts This familiar passage calls us to invest our resources into things that will have eternal significance. Material things have no eternal significance, only people have eternal significance. So, we need to focus our investments of time, money etc. onto things that will draw us closer to God and have a positive eternal impact on people.
Jesus needs to be our treasure and our first love.
Jesus says that what we treasure, whether it be wealth, health, beauty, sports, family, popularity, etc. is a direct indicator of where our heart is (in other words what we really love). This is not to say that these other things are necessarily evil; for example, wealth can be used to bless people, good health can help give us strength to serve God in ways we might not be able to without it, but Jesus needs to be our treasure and our first love.
Question to consider Where is your heart?
Prayer Lord Jesus shine your light onto my actions this day that show where I am not putting you first. Help me to see that each choice I make either leads me more into your light or more into the darkness. Lord also shine your light into the depth of my heart to reveal areas of darkness known to me and unknown so I can confess and forsake them. I thank you that if we confess our sins you are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to give us the great treasure of your righteousness. Amen. (Based on meditation of 1 John Chapter 1) End with two minutes of silence