The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:25-34 (day four)

Jesus had us check in on our relationship with money last week. How did that go for you? Was it as convicting for you as it was for me? I hate to break it to you, but it’s not over. Jesus continues the conversation and expands his thoughts on the matter in these verses. He says, “You cannot serve both God and wealth. For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life…”

When we focus on and strive for the things our flesh wants: comfort, security, peace of mind, social status – all of which often involve money – we’ll soon find that the harder we try to get it, the harder it is to take hold of. The tighter the grip we try to have on our circumstances and livelihood or our comfort and security, the more we find ourselves backed into a corner by fear and anxiety. A life pursuing creature comforts on our own won’t get us the real peace that we’re after, we’ll just find that those things don’t satisfy.

We hear a similar message from Jesus in Luke 9:24-25, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”

Ask the Lord to help you loosen the vice grip you have on your life. That’s when you’ll find life abundant.

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:25-34 (day three)

“Are you not worth much more than they?”

Rather than trying to talk you out of worry, Jesus agrees with you that your grip on security feels tenuous much of the time, as if you’re barely going to make it. He’s stating that circumstances are mostly beyond your control, and that feels scary. Finally, somebody is just saying it: life is hard. What’s more, that somebody was, of all people, the Son of God. This divine human being was telling his hearers, “I deal with this difficult life, too. Everyday.” He goes on to tell them that a God who would give flowers a bigger break than you would not be very loving. In a world that says you don’t matter much, Jesus declares your worth. Your confidence won’t come from trying not to worry, but from this news of your immeasurable value.

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:25-34 (day two) 

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 

We have a saying in our house “talking about talking about it.” Throughout our marriage we have used this phrase in various contexts. Early on it was used as a defense strategy in an argument to prove who was ‘right.’ Rather than deal with the issue we would go around and around about how and why we got to where we were. PSA: this isn’t a good strategy for young married couples.

I have noticed in recent days we use this ‘technique’ to worry and stress about the overwhelming schedules and responsibilities that come with parenting. We won’t be able to get from point A to point B in time. We don’t have enough bandwidth to help with homework, deal with work issues, get the rest that we need, etc. We often spend so much energy on this crazy cycle it leads to a sense of near hopelessness. We can’t do it. We can’t find enough time.

The time we spent worrying adds nothing to what is before us. It often makes us dread each and every task or chore. We miss opportunities to sit and enjoy because of the next deadline. This scripture doesn’t fix our busy schedules, but perhaps gives us a lifeline in the  midst of a crazy life. If we recognize the ‘worry’ actually takes time, we might be less inclined to do it so much. Wherever God has called you today, be there. Be all there. Tomorrow isn’t going anywhere.

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:19-24 (day seven)

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. vs 20

Let’s take a little different spin on this. If our earthly possessions can be stolen or destroyed, what is it that is stored that can’t be stolen? Maybe John 10:10 gives us a clue:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Life. Life is the treasure that can’t be stolen. The promise that Jesus offers in both of these passages is not that if we do everything correctly here on earth we will be blessed today, rather that through Him and Him alone can we find purpose, belonging, and identity. The promise is that even if things get stolen from us on earth, we will always belong to Him, and there is nothing (no one) that can take that away. Our life is His for eternity!

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:19-24(day six)

We learned last week that what we believe about God shapes how we pray.  This week, we learned that our beliefs about God also shape our desires. If God is not the supplier of our need,  then we become enslaved to fear and greed, and setting our sights on the wrong thing, we desire money and possessions more than heavenly treasure (see the Beatitudes).

This MAY result in a false sense of financial security, but it never results in financial freedom. Your joy and contentment are tied to the dollar. Your self-worth rises and falls depending on your ability to keep up with the Jones. That’s not freedom; that’s slavery to fear.

Jesus says, “The truth will set you free.” So, fully trust in God’s provision, whether a lot or a little, and when that happens, fear will be replaced with thanksgiving, and greed will be replaced with generosity. Now, that’s financial freedom.

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:19-24(day five) “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.“  Jesus makes an amazing proclamation. “Your heart always follows your treasure.” Jesus uses a comparative strategy to drive home His point and help us conclude, the treasure “stored” in heaven is superior to that which is “stored” on earth.
What if Jesus was warning against a greedy selfishness? Store for yourselves– A heart turned inward and focused only on self. What if our “treasures” could be used to encourage and minister to others? What if we heeded the call this year to “Love Your Neighbor” (2024 church theme) by also using our treasures?  What if our hearts were intentionally focused and filled with the hope and certainty of eternal (heaven) things rather than temporal (earth) things?  Would that shape the way we live and love?  (Jesus thought so). Jesus is not only making sense, He is helping hearts find genuine faith, hope, and love.

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:19-24 (day four)

The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. Matthew 6:22

Of the many blessings that God has given to me, good physical eyesight is not one of those blessings. I have worn glasses or contacts since I was in the sixth grade, and probably needed them sooner than that. My kids always ask me how bad my eyesight is, and this usually leads to me telling them to look at things very close to them (within a few feet) and explaining to them that I cannot see that object clearly at all.

I’m always amazed at how revolutionary and life changing glasses really are. Life would be drastically different for me if I did not have mine. To be able to see clearly just by having the right lenses with which to look through is transformative. My fellow glasses wearers out there can attest to this!

Jesus talks about the importance of having a clear eye, or a good eye, with which to see. We do not have good eyes in and of ourselves. When we become a Christ-follower, God is the lens (or the glasses, if you will) that we are to look through to navigate this world. He is the lens to our worldview, causing our eye (view) to be good and clear.

A good eye leads us to the way of light; that is, following God fully in our life, resulting in storing our treasures up in heaven and serving God rather than anything else. May you see with a good eye that leads to light in your life.

Jimmy Gunn
Associate Pastor, First Kids

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:19-24 (day three)

“If your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.”

A large swath of Jesus’s audience were people who had learned to accept their lot in life as spiritual paupers – that is, people who would never be considered particularly worthy in God’s eyes or in the eyes of the religious powers-that-be. Jesus goes right for the jugular of “the system” when he opens up with the shocking beatitudes, declaring that such poor in spirit, mournful, meek ones are actually blessed, because they are exactly the ones whom God desires to come near and befriend. Here, he goes further still. He proclaims to his hearers that as his words wash over them, those words can bring clarity to them, doing away with their dependence on the myopic teaching of “brilliant” spiritual “actors.” Who needs a bulb when you’ve got the sun?

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 6:19-24 (day two) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…vs 20a

We were on a trip recently and the phrase ‘jewel in your crown’ came up. The girls had never heard it before, so we had an opportunity to talk about storing up treasures in heaven. When viewed with the totality of scripture, it is an odd phrase. We know that any ‘crown’ that we could achieve will ultimately, and gladly, be laid at the feet of Jesus. The image of accruing possessions or wealth in eternity is used so that we can have some temporal understanding. I can understand money, but it would be better to understand relationship. Our treasure or jewel should be knowing Jesus. The more we know him, the more we desire to be near him. That is a treasure worth having.