New Seeds From God

A devotion by Cheryl Zelenka http://facingtrials.com

“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content”  Philippians 4:11 (NKJV) 

“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33 (NKJV)

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18 (NKJV)

Dear One,

It is easy for us to fall into self-pity, especially when our personal trials and struggles bring loss. Of course loss comes in many forms: the death of a loved one, financial security, social standing, and even faith. And all loss will cause us to pause or reflect. How we react to our ruin, impairments, or damage will reveal our true faith and maturity in Christ.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” These are such revealing and truthful words from Matthew 6:21. If your loss involves a house or some kind of finance, there will certainly be some measure of discomfort. However, if you adopt the right perspective, losses are not a bad thing! Change or hardship can produce new seeds and godly fruit in your future. When our hearts are yielded to His will, God’s loving hands will sow and cultivate superior seeds of faith. 

Where have you placed your trust? Is it in the riches God permitted you to obtain and collect, or is it in His daily promised provisions? Anything you surrender to Him in this life will be replaced, no greatly increased, in heaven. Our hope should be in Christ alone. We must surrender our carnal security and lean on the One who knows our needs, before we can even ask for them.

If it is your social standing that has vanished, ask yourself this question. Did Jesus care about such matters? A man/woman of integrity will be recognized. If you seek wisdom for the betterment of others, God will provide opportunities for you to share His truths. But when we seek position for selfish reasons, forgetting that it is God who gives us our intellect and station in life, we steal His glory. All we do should point others to God and His saving grace.

Those who have lost loved ones know and suffer great pain. True love is not superficial and does not reside only on the surface. No, deep love has even deeper roots. When a spouse, friend, or relative dies there is an uprooting that occurs in our hearts. The soil is not just upturned…. It is dislodged. This extraction can leave a crater so great it will often render a believer helpless. Who can live with only half a heart? The one who leaves us takes the other half. It is only God who can fill this kind of hole and tremendous void. It is a miraculous thing to witness one restored to life after such a devastating loss.

When there is a large hole in our heart, God will never pass up the opportunity to plant seeds. He will patiently water and tend the seed until the proper season.  Our Lord will not force fruit from a wounded soul; instead He will lovingly encourage the maturation. This may mean He must disturb the ground around it in order to cultivate its growth. He does not want any of us to find satisfaction is a sleepy existence.

So, what does it mean to be “Rich in the eyes of God?”

Security, security in God alone. This is what it means to be rich in the eyes of God. When we are secure in the love God has for us, the chaos, trials, and losses we suffer will loose their power. When we choose to trust in His plan and will, security will shelter us from every storm. Our peace will be great and our power mighty, for we can do all things through HIM who gives us strength.

The hand of God will reach out and help us overcome every obstacle. No amount of money can buy peace of mind. God provides a peace that transcends all understanding and this comes only through our faith in His loving nature. Rest in His love, dear one, and grab on to the security found in the gift of His Son and your eternal salvation. 

“And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’  But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:15-21 (NKJV)

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

“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.” Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)