Daily Devotion, January 1, 2020

Devotion:

Read Matthew 5:6.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! It is a day of new beginnings and traditions we keep---New Year’s resolutions, parades, football games, turnip greens and black-eyed peas---- to name a few! Our parents told us the more turnip greens and black-eyed peas we ate, the more dollars and pennies we would have in the New Year!  

New Year’s resolutions might include exercising more, eating less, trimming the budget, making daily lists, cleaning out closets and giving a few things away!

Most of us don’t have “hunger and thirst for righteousness” as a resolution. But perhaps this verse should be examined FIRST before we make our resolutions “list”. Being in God’s presence leads us to re-order our lives’ priorities.  

In his book, Reading Matthew, Dr. David Garland helps us understand the depths of this great verse. “Jesus’ beatitude has nothing to do with simply being a better person. Righteousness refers to what God requires, and those who hunger and thirst know they lack what is vital to sustain life. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness have a gnawing desire to see God’s will accomplished in their lives. An escape-hungry society that craves all the wrong things will never be satisfied. Only those whose deepest longings are for fellowship with God will know the comfort that can be supplied by God.” 

This is not about marking the first thing off the list each day, or a behavior to be rewarded. It is simply “seeking first the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness,” and trusting God to help us order the rest of our lives. It is recognizing the joy of God’s presence. 

Recently a holy moment in worship for me was observing a Grandfather joyfully smiling and making “funny faces” to the equivalent joy and delight of his infant granddaughter! Nothing else around them mattered except their joy in being with each other!

Personal Worship Option:

Dear God, Being in Your presence is pure joy! Only You satisfy our souls’ hunger. You created us, love us, forgive us and sent Christ to be our Savior. What is YOUR “2020 Vision” for this year? This is truly a day of new beginnings. Help us to re-order the priorities of our lives to seek you first, to help our neighbors near and far, and to follow your will. Thank you for your blessings. Amen.