A weekday morning devotional series written by Aaron Marcarelli and hosted by Chad McBeam
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
Matthew 6:24 NASB2020
Jesus is not saying we have to be poor or homeless to serve and follow Him. He is saying that we cannot let our $ come before our service of God.
All of us are wealthy by the world’s standards. Most of us have a roof over our heads, we have a job or money from retirement we have purpose in our lives, we have not missed a meal. We have friends or family that are there for us when and if things get difficult.
Therefore, it is sometimes easy to be complacent and apathetic because we have our daily needs taken care of. Sometimes our biggest question of the day is what’s for dinner? It is not, are we going to have dinner?
The poor too can serve wealth also. Most of the people who buy lottery tickets every day are doing that. Or those who say if I only had that, I’d be happy or I can’t wait to get the newest gadget. Some go into massive debt just trying to “keep up” with their neighbors. All these types of attitudes put something besides God and His provision for us ahead of serving and following Him. Timothy warns us in two separate passages about this saying we should, “not overindulging in wine, not be a bully, but gentle, not contentious, free from the love of money.”
1 Timothy 3:3.
“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
1 Timothy 6:10
The writer of the book of Hebrews does the same;
“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,”
Hebrews 13:5
This is why Jesus will go on to say in this sermon “do not worry”, but we will discuss that further tomorrow.
Lord, we praise and glorify your Holy Name! Thank you Lord for protecting and providing for us! Help us not to get complacent or comfortable, help us also not to worry about anything here on earth. Help us to do your perfect and pleasing will which is loving others as you have loved us. Help us to proclaim the gospel that you died for our sins, you rose again to conquer death and you ascended into heaven. Lord, please fill us with your love. Help us to rely on and lean into you and your perfect love. In Jesus Name we pray Amen…
Shalom blessings and Press in and Press on!