Hull Vineyard Church

30 for 30

Day Thirteen

Stop

Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be your name. This morning let’s spend the first few moments of our devotional hallowing the name of God. Tell Him how much you love Him, and tell Him what you love about Him.

Look

Read Matthew 13. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. You may want to make notes, underline in your bible or journal all that God is saying.

Thought of the day

Matthew 13: 45 - 46 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

What do we value in life?

It’s a good question. What we value tends to determine the direction we travel in life. What we value tends to create the end-goal we strive towards.

Jesus once again re-defines what life is all about. He paints the picture of the Kingdom of Heaven being like a pearl of great value. The merchant found the pearl and, such was its worth, sold everything else to get it.

There are a couple of interesting observations about this parable.

Firstly, Jesus makes a stunning statement which goes beyond our earthly experience and taps into an eternal perspective. It is this: the promise of receiving the Kingdom of God is of far more value than anything else this life affords. All the riches, status, sex, popularity, fame, success, glory of the world is nothing compared to life in the Kingdom.

It’s easy right now to be distracted by these things. While we live in this present age, they often consume our focus and energy. However, we need to constantly remind ourselves that we live for a world beyond our own. We live with an eternal perspective, we live looking forward to a perfect heavenly home, we live with rewards to come. This life is just a breath, a vapour, and how we spend this life has a direct relation to what happens in the next.

Secondly Jesus, again, makes the claim that it’s impossible to have the Kingdom + . The merchant had to sell everything he had in order to gain the Kingdom.

This speaks of placing the Kingdom of God as our ultimate value.

In Matthew 6 Jesus says: Seek first The Kingdom.

There are lots of good things in life which we turn into ‘god’ things. Again and again Jesus reminds us that there is more to life than these things. They may have their place as good gifts – but they make terrible gods.

May we be a people who are willing to sell everything for Jesus and His Kingdom, and we’ll be a people fully satisfied in this life, and in the age to come.

Pray

Today go for a prayer walk. Even if it’s just around your street. Be present to the environment Jesus has placed you in, and begin to pray for opportunities to live as light in the darkness.

Live

Find a way to demonstrate generosity this week. Maybe pay for someone’s shopping, buy lunch for someone, send a card or an encouraging message. Maybe bring some food to our food bank this week. Live out the call to be light in a practical way.