Pastoral Devotion for February – Seek God’s Kingdom

Read Matthew 6:25-34
We live in a world filled with expectations. Children are expected to do well in school. College graduates expect to embark on a high paying career. Investors expect their portfolio will pay huge dividends. Life is filled with expectations, some are met, many others are not. God also has expectations. He expects that humanity will obey His law. God expects His people will love Him and love their neighbor. And God expects us to share our faith and bear fruit for his kingdom.
It seems there is a wide gap between God’s expectations and ours. People tend to live for themselves more than for God. We strive to be self-sufficient, personally secure and financially independent. Yet, in the end, our sense of expectation is replaced with worry. Why? The answer is obvious. Our expectations don’t match God’s.
Jesus teaches us that God graciously provides everything we need to live a fruitful and abundant life. Even as God cares for the plants and animals, how much more will God care for those created in his image and likeness? The truth is God provides for all people, even sinners who do no believe in Him, everything that is needed to sustain life in this world. In return, God expects to be acknowledged for it. In our thankfulness, we realize the tremendous blessing it is to be called “Child of God. We are to give God our thanks and praise in all Circumstances, and in our times of want God expects that we will seek his kingdom first above all things.
Prayer: Holy God, help us live according to your expectations, and grant me forgiveness when I fall short. Amen.