The Lesser ThingsSample

I love sugar. My favorite food is ice cream (chocolate and peanut butter! Lord, have mercy!). It is a serious addiction too. I honestly pray to God about it because I know sugar is not my friend and yet it is always so tempting, so comforting, so convenient. Sugar is always there for me - calling me to it, like “Ruthie, you know you would feel better if you just had a little bit.” I have to fight, literally fight, the luring and the temptation and walk away. Every day, countless times throughout the day, I have to make a decision. Will I give in or will I walk away? And typically what helps is the vision I have for myself. I want to be healthy and live a quality life. I have the control and power to choose what I want my future to look like. But it’s a choice that I need to make, every day and sometimes more than once a day.

We’ve spent this week talking about the lesser things and reading stories in the Bible of people choosing lesser things than God. But I wanted to conclude this devotional with one truth that I want you to hold onto more than anything else…

Jesus is the One who chose the lesser things. Jesus came down from Heaven, in the form of a baby, in the lowest of lows, being born in a manger to save the world. Sometimes we forget the awe of such a supernatural encounter with mankind.  We stop thinking about the impact that Jesus coming to Earth has had on our life. We can find ourselves taking it for granted - that the Savior of the world came to rescue you and me. 

As I thought about choosing the lesser things, I felt like God reminded me of this simple truth: Jesus came down from Heaven, choosing the lesser things so that we may live the abundant life. When Jesus came to Earth and died in the lowest and most humiliating way, He did that so that we wouldn’t have to live a life that is any less than what He has in store for us. God has always seen the end from the beginning and He knows what choosing the lesser things lead to. And so when Jesus came to die on the cross for us, He gave us a choice. We can either choose to live the life that He has planned for us - with all of the benefits, with an eternal inheritance, allowing Him to fill us up - or we can choose not to. We can choose the lesser things and live a life that is void of Him and ultimately, live eternity reaping the consequences of always choosing other things and people before God. So, we leave this devotional here - with a choice for you to make.

My prayer for you throughout this week has been that you would choose Jesus, today and every day. That you would make Him the Lord of your life. That you would remember Him and put Him in His rightful place - back at the center of everything. Will you do that today?

Prayer: God, right now I acknowledge you as the Lord of my life. I believe that You sent your son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. I confess that I have not always chosen You above all else but today, Lord, is different. I choose YOU! Come into my heart and fill me up. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

If you have accepted Christ today, through His Word noted above, we would love to hear from you!  We would love to follow up with you and pray for you. Please contact us at https://www.imagineyourvictory.com/contact/ 

Worship: Divine Exchange by People and Songs