Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on June 19, 2015. A graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), Doug, along with his family (Cindy, Audrey and Benji), recently relocated from Boston to Philadelphia to assume the role of the UC site pastor of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia.
Devotional Thought for the Day
“What Do You Truly Value in Life?”
1 Kings 6:37-7:1
In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it. Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.
Finally, Solomon had finished building the Temple, the house for God. It took many years, many resources, and much labor, but it was finally finished. So what does Solomon do? He immediately turns to building his own house, which he works on for thirteen years. Did you catch that contrast? The passage says, “He was seven years in building it. Solomon was building his own house thirteen years.” He spent almost twice as long building his own house!
I enjoy reading, especially fiction. One thing I started doing recently was not allowing myself to read fiction until I read a passage from the Bible. I thought to myself, I have my priorities right – first Bible, then other stuff. Yet, what often happened was I would read a quick passage and then read fiction for a much longer period of time. But I felt like I earned it, since I read the Bible first!
This showed me what I truly valued. I valued my time reading fiction over reading the Bible. Yes, I would read the Bible, but merely so that I could get to something else right afterwards. In reality, my heart was not really into reading the Word, since my heart really was longing for the leisure time afterwards.
What do you value? What do you most look forward to each day? Is fellowship with God at the top of the list, or something else?
Prayer: Lord, thank You that You value me. You gave me life, hope, and everything that I need. Yet, often I value other things over You. Forgive me for often putting you low in my priorities and help me to reorient my values towards You. May fellowship with You always be a spring of abundant joy in my life.
Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 3
Lunch Break Study
Read 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. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Questions to Consider
- What does it mean to lay up treasures on earth?
- How do we lay up treasures in heaven?
- Where is your treasure right now?
Notes
- The easiest answer is material things—like wealth and possessions. Yet, we can lay up treasures in anything of this world – time watching TV, time on Facebook, etc. When we value these activities over God’s kingdom, we are laying up treasures on earth.
- We lay up heavenly treasures by putting our mind on heaven! And we do this through fellowship with God. By seeking intimacy with God, our hearts are re-oriented towards eternity, towards the Kingdom. What is amazing is that we can live a heavenly life now! We do not need to wait for heaven to know God deeply; we can know Him here and now.
- Are you treasuring God, or treasuring the things of earth? What we value shows where we are laying up treasures. What is most valuable to you?
Evening Reflection
Reflect on the reality that God values you. He treasures you so much that He was willing to go to the cross to rescue you. Allow that truth to bring comfort to your soul. As you reflect on the value God has given you, ask for a heart that values Him in return. Pray that your life and your priorities would reflect the value you place in your relationship with God.