Open HandedSample

Jesus’ words here in Matthew may have been directed at a rich young man, but they could just as well be directed at any of us today. That’s because we all find ourselves in a tug of war between two masters of sorts. We’re at war between the things of this world and the things of God. We want to follow and serve God, but we also want success, wealth, and fame in this life. We want to love God and His ways above all else, but we also want to have it all here on Earth. While the desire to succeed and find worth in this life isn’t in and of itself a problem, Jesus’ words remind us that, in the end, we’ll never fully be able to give our hearts to God if we are torn between our faith and worldly possessions. So, what do we do? Very simply, we can ask God’s Spirit to open our hearts, our eyes, and yes, even our hands. We can pray for wisdom to know what we’re following and where our hope is. We can serve God with our lives, with our actions, and even with our money.

Today, start by praying this simple prayer: “God, show me where I may be serving or chasing anything other than You."