Matthew 6:33 – But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV)

Recently, I went to a women's retreat. One of the exercises was to take a particular seven-verse Scripture passage and to meditate on those verses. The valuable lesson that I learned, and will never forget, was not about what the verses actually said. I was under time pressure to come up with something meaningful. The problem was that I couldn't see past the original words. "They're just words, they say what they say. I mean, it's a pretty strange verse to meditate on!" This went on for about five minutes. I was thinking really hard, but not coming up with anything. I was feeling kind of panicky as the clock was ticking. I saw other people writing, and that annoyed me, because I couldn't come up with anything.

Finally as a last resort, I talked to God! "Show me what it is You want me to see, because on my own, I can't come up with anything at all." All of a sudden, like light shining down from heaven, the words came pouring forth, and I could "see" the meaning of the words. I wrote and wrote and wrote. I was elated that I had asked and then received. I felt that I'd had a special moment with God. Helloooooo! Isn't that what spending time with God is supposed to be all about? Suddenly I got it! It was not just a moment to remember, but also something to put into action for devotional time. I also learned that I really couldn't rely on my own self to get the job done. I need God to help me in everything that I do.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You are there for us when we ask for help. Help us to get past our pride, and keep us humble, so that we can ask for Your help first. Thank You that You do come through for us when we ask. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Karen Knuff <knuff.karen@gmail.com>
Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada
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