THE UPPER ROOM DAILY DEVOTIONAL 21 AUGUST 2024, WEDNESDAY MESSAGE
TOPIC: Seek God First
Today’s Reading
Matthew 6:19-24
Seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
TODAY’S MESSAGE
The purple loosestrife is a tall plant with a dramatic, purple feathery flower on top. But for all its majestic beauty, the purple loosestrife is an invasive species where I live, and it is a menace. A single plant can produce over 2 million seeds yearly! Removing purple loosestrife from the environment requires hard, physical labor.
As I was thinking about this plant and the negative impact it can have, I was reminded of my Christian walk. Many times I have allowed beautiful things to invade my life. However, I often found my time with the Lord being pushed aside by this busyness. I liked staying busy because I thought it would make others see me as important. I lost my perspective. My pride kept me focused on seeing only what others saw in me.
Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and everything else will be added. So I knew I would need to stop and refocus my priorities. Was I seeking God first? Oftentimes, I had to get rid of the good so that I could allow the best to come into my life.
Removing anything that isn’t from God is vital. It is a life-long process but one that is crucial if we are to live the life Christ calls us to.
Today’s Prayer
Father God, help us to see and reorder anything that might distract us from our mission of glorifying you. Amen.
Thought for the Day
Seeking God first brings spiritual health and growth.
Prayer Focus
To step away from busyness
The Upper Room Daily Devotional 21 August 2024 Message. The Upper Room is a daily devotional magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing—both laity and clergy, published authors and new writers. The meditations are stories of real people working to live faithfully with the Bible as their touchstone. Every day, readers of The Upper Room around the world read the same story in many different languages and pray the same prayer together. Read More