Rest is good. We’re taking a break from producing content over the summer. Enjoy this previously produced pattern and meditation.
With all the noise in the world, do you hear the voice of God? Your calendar tells you what to do, but do you remember who you are? Being comes before doing. This is a call to put first things first. Return to the Lord with this daily pattern of prayer and devotion. Set aside this time as a sanctuary. Find a space free of distraction and follow this pattern.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross, and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matt. 5:4) O Lord, I suffer grief and loss. You alone are my comfort. Amen.
Word: Matthew 6:19-21
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Meditation
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presents a trilogy of illustrations. Treasure. Eyes. Master. (Matt. 6:19-24) The Greek word for heart – kardia – doesn’t mean the physical organ in your chest. And it’s not a sappy valentine. The heart is the center of you, the compass that orients your life to ultimate things. What is the ultimate thing your heart desires? What truly is your treasure?
C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, is of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
The call of Jesus is exclusive. He asks not only for our treasure, but our heart. In the life of discipleship, you are in or out. There is no neutral. No fence riding. Jesus demands first place in our heart. Our treasure, time, and energy orbit him.
Prayer for Life as a Child of God
· For the Father to give me care and guidance.
· For forgiveness when I wander and want my own way.
· For the Father to keep me childlike in faith even as I age.
· For growth in faith, that I love and trust in God above all things.
· For strength to obey God.
· For the Father to heal my hurts.
· For assurance when I doubt.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, guard my heart. Keep me from temptation to stray and wander. You are my Treasure. I submit all other treasures to you. Amen.