Daily Devo w/ Pastor Eric
September 3, 2021 – Are You and God of a Single Mind?
Matthew 6:24, NIV - “No one can serve two
masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be
devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Imagine a race car driver deciding
to get her taxes done while driving in a race.
Maybe you could picture a climber scaling Mt. Everest but trying to knit
a sweater to keep warm while he’s climbing.
Either one of these multitaskers is bound for some serious
frustration. Driving a race car and
climbing Mt. Everest require single-mindedness.
Jesus says that serving God is like that. Distractions, especially those like wealth,
will throw a wrench in the machinery.
So what we do? We need money but we want to serve God. First, it’s important to realize that money
is not the problem. The Apostle Paul,
writing to his mentee, Timothy, writes, “For the love of money is the root of
all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). It’s the love
of money or, for our case today, the single-minded focus on money that is the
problem. The race car driver still has
to do her taxes, but the IRS will have to wait until a day when she is not
racing (unless the race is on April 15 😊). The mountain climber needs the warm clothing
before the climb starts so when he arrives at the basecamp, his focus is
clear. Sweaters and taxes are not what
life is about. Neither is money. When
life is about getting money, life is upside down. Money should always serve what life is about
– serving God.
My guess is that most of us have
gotten this wrong at least once in our lives.
When this happens, it can be really hard to put the focus back where it
belongs. In fact, money can gain such a
grip on a person that the very idea that he may have to shift his focus off of
it may cause a resentment to creep up in his soul. This is why the Rich Young Ruler went away
sad (Mark 10:22). The hold his wealth
had on him was absolute; it had become his single-minded focus. It is a miserable place to be in.
Question/Reflection: What
do you believe God put you here to do?
Whether it’s racing cars, climbing mountains, or whatever, make that the
focus and do whatever it takes to ensure that it never becomes about the
money. When it is only about the money,
it most likely means that what God put you here to do is something else. Serve the purpose God gave you and you will
find that God will provide the rest.
Prayer: God, give us
clarity about the work you put me here to do.
May our hearts never be captured by anything else. Amen.
Prayer Focus: Pray
for deliverance for people who are drowning in debt right now
Song: Covenant Prayer
- Newlife Church
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