WHO HAS YOUR DEVOTION?

12/21/2023

"But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-42).

Many people inadvertently worship their problems and challenges through constant worry. It's common to hear them speak with almost every sentence referring to a past hurt, and by so doing, elevating these negative experiences above Christ, their Lord and Savior. Phrases like, "They said this about me" or "They did this to me" dominate their conversations. 

Child of God, that happened two years ago! It's time to let go. What might be happening is that you've become devoted to the hurt, and it has taken the place of Christ in your heart. Even in prayer, it's all you talk about, to the extent that there's no room for thanksgiving and worship. Imagine if the time spent dwelling on the hurt was redirected to praising God for what He has done in Christ Jesus – your life would witness one miracle after another.

In Luke 10:41-42, Jesus spoke to Martha, saying, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." In essence, your devotion to God is the only thing that truly matters. In Matthew 6:30-33 (The Message Translation), Jesus further emphasized, "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think He'll attend to you, take pride in you, do His best for you? [Jesus continued], …What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving...Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find out that your daily human concerns will be met."

My prayer for you today is that the peace of God would completely fill your heart in Jesus' name. Amen.

Faith-Filled Confession:

God's Word is my inspiration and source of counsel. I will diligently study the Word to gain wisdom and understanding of my purpose, walk, and destiny in God. And as I do, Christ is revealed to my spirit through His Word, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Prayer Points:

Psalm 122:6, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you."

• Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. 

• Pray against plans to use the crises in Israel to launch other attacks in the United States.

• Pray for The President of the United States and all who are in positions of authority in the United States.

• Pray for the Church in the United States and worldwide.

One-Year Reading Plan: Amos 7-9; Revelation 7