Matthew 6

Worship, both public and private, should be sincere. When we pray, when we fast, and when we give, we need to make sure that we’re doing it for God and not to be seen by others. That means when we do things like pray in a public setting, even though we may say things in a different way because of where we are, in our hearts we are supposed to be praying to God. That’s why praise is a significant part of prayer, even before petition. And since God already knows what we need, we have the freedom to make our petitions selfless. “Give us,” “bring us,” and “forgive us” all speak to the corporate nature of faith. We are a family, and our love for others means we should be willing to forgive just as we’ve been forgiven.

If we understand the verses about the eye to be a warning against desiring what you see and allowing it to control you, then the rest of our passage deals with riches and how we respond to them. First, accumulate spiritual treasure, rather than earthly. Next, don’t allow your desire for things to sabotage your relationship with God. Third, understand that God needs to be your ultimate priority in life. But what does this mean practically? Don’t we need the things that money buys in order to live? Of course, but we need to trust that God cares about us enough to provide for us. He takes care of those who trust, worship, and serve Him.

Thought for the day: Trust. It’s a lesson in both testaments. When we master it, we can let God worry about tomorrow so that we don’t have to!

Proverbs 3:5-6 (WEB) “Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”