Jesus Calling - December 19th, 2024

Jesus Calling: December 19th

Do not be weighed down by the clutter in your life: lots of little chores to do sometime, in no particular order. If you focus too much on these petty tasks, trying to get them all out of the way, you will discover that they are endless. They can eat up so much time as you devote to them.
     Instead of trying to do all your chores at once, choose the ones that need to be done today. Let the rest slip into the background of your mind, so I can be in the forefront of your awareness. Remember that your ultimate goal is living close to Me, being responsive to My initiatives. I can communicate with you most readily when your mind is uncluttered and turned toward Me. Seek My Face continually throughout this day. Let My Presence bring order to your thoughts, infusing Peace into your entire being.

RELATED SCRIPTURE:

Proverbs 16:3 (NLT)
3 Commit your actions to the Lord,
    and your plans will succeed.

Additional insight regarding Proverbs 16:3: There are different ways to fail to commit whatever we do to the Lord. Some people commit their work only superficially. They say the project is being done for the Lord, but in reality, they are doing it for themselves. Others give God temporary control of their interests, only to take control back the moment things stop going the way they expect. Still others commit a task fully to the Lord but put forth no effort themselves, and then they wonder why they do not succeed. We must maintain a delicate balance: trusting God as if everything depended on him while working as if everything depended on us. Think of a specific effort in which you are involved right now. Have you committed it to the Lord?

Matthew 6:33 (NLT)
33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Additional insight regarding Matthew 6:33: To "seek the Kingdon of God above all else" means to put God first in your life, to fill your thoughts with his desires, to take his character for your pattern, and to serve and over him in everything. What is really important to you? People, objects, goals, and other desires all compete for priority. Any of these can quickly become most important to you if you don't actively choose to give God first place in every area of life.