2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Psalm 84:1-4 (NIV)
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
How great is the love that our Heavenly Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God! (see 1 John 3:1).
I am listening to worship songs as I type this today and I am so thankful to know Jesus.
I am also aware of how my heart is prone to wander and often slow to respond to Him.
I am thankful for His grace (Ephesians 2:8-10).
I am thankful that nothing can separate me from His love (Romans 8:31-39).
I invite you to sit with Psalm 84 and let Jesus paint a picture in your mind as you read these words of the psalmist. Can you picture that sparrow that has caught his eye?
I pray that we would hear in a fresh way the words of Jesus in Matthew 6. I invite you to pause with Jesus today, perhaps near a window or even outside where you can maybe see and hear the beauty of His creation.
How much more does He love us?
How much more? I can think of seasons where I have asked that question to Jesus in the sense of “How much more of this suffering or hardship is going to happen?” “How much more can we take?”
Let’s hear Jesus’ words, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:33-34).
Do not worry. The Lord is near (Philippians 4:4-8).
What is on your heart today as you pray? Who are you praying for?
As a word of encouragement, there is no need to worry. Whatever the situation, whatever the need or problem, Jesus is faithful and He invites us daily, moment by moment, to seek Him continually. He will have the final word on everything.
May we seek Him today. May we trust Him today with everything. May our heart’s desire be to know Him more and pray for His kingdom come in and through His life at work in us today (Ephesians 3:14-21).
I invite you to reflect on this song today as you pause with Jesus and His word:
Perhaps as you listen to this song, see where Jesus leads you in His word and in prayer. I invite you to consider prayerfully singing this song over your life and the lives of those that Jesus presses upon your heart.
The Lord bless you today!
Ephesians 1:15-23
