Saturday 2 Apr 2011

Saturday Reading: Matthew 19:28-30

Key Verse: Matthew 19:30
30  But many who are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

Devotion:
How many times have you been pushed past, pushed back, left behind or simply ignored just because you were trying to be kind? I am sure that I am not the only one who gives way to others just because they don’t know what they are doing – or at least I hope I am not alone! Christ does not want us to be the over-achievers or self-centred upstarts that society seems to demand should be put forward. Christ wants us to show Christian love to everyone around us and not just to those we think deserve it. Oh it is very hard to step back and let some loud-mouthed hooligan take centre stage just because they think they deserve it, but if that is going to show them Christ’s love in any way, then that is what we need to do.

Fighting just because we disagree with what someone does or says does seem to be a bit ridiculous but it is something that countries get involved with every day. Just because a country makes a stand that looks right but is not righteous according to God does not mean that we can go ahead and make that same stance. We need to focus on God and not on the leaders of our land. We need to lift up God so that our leaders will see God and His ways. When we see people putting us down just because we are being Christians we should not take to arms and fight back but rather turn the other cheek to show them that their actions have no foundations other than their own pride and greed.

When it comes down to it most of society works in pride, greed and lust rather than righteousness. That does not give us the right to follow them instead of God’s Word. God has given us plenty or warnings, plenty of scripture and plenty of time to get things right. If we don’t do it soon it will be too late – just how much time we do have left is very much up for debate at this time with so many wars and natural disasters going on all round the world. Show people God’s love now before it is too late for them as well – it is never too late until Christ says so!

Points to Ponder:
Are you always trying to be first?

Isn’t it time to put God first?