“And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” Luke 12:22-23 (NASB)
Day’s Reading: Luke 12-13
Worry. It’s infectious. It’s overwhelming. It’s debilitating. Even now, as I write these words I feel the effects of stress and worry in my life—tense shoulders, a kink in my neck, a twitching eye. Yes, worry can definitely debilitate. So why do we worry if we know it will do us no good? Do we still think we can actually do something God can’t? Or, do we take on too much thinking we can when God didn’t design us to run 100 miles per hour all the time?
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:34). Where your thoughts are, where your time is, where your energy is spent, where your relationships develop, where your money goes, where your focus lies–there your heart will be also. Have you ever read Luke 12:35-48 in light of Luke 12:22-34 (which comes right before it)? When looking at this passage more closely I think it is no coincidence that the parable of the faithful servant follows the first passage because if we “[get] dressed in readiness, and keep [our] lamps lit [and] be like men who are waiting for their master” (Luke 12:35-36), our priorities would be in a much godlier order and a much less stressful order because both our heart and treasure will be in the same place, just as God designed it.
Reflection:
- Where are your thoughts, time, money, energy, relationships, and focus spent? If not on Jesus, why not and how could you change it to further glorify Him?
- Make a list of where you spend your time and how much time you spend doing each activity in a typical day. Consider also doing this with your money over a week or month. Do you see anything that you might need to adjust in light of God’s priorities? If so, then bring it to Him and work with Him to come up with a plan of action to make the change.
Prayer Guide:
- Present to God things that have caused you worry or stress. Give your stress/worry to Jesus.
- Request physical strength and health for you, your spouse, and your children.
- Surrender to God your city, state, and national governments and the current issues therein.
- Pray for world leaders, events, and concerns.
- Submit your day’s activities to Him.
To learn more about the book and how it can transform your quiet time, check out this free sample. Thank you so much for supporting me in this project; I feel so blessed to have readers like you. May the Word Become Flesh in you!
