URC Daily Devotion Friday, 14 July 2023

Romans 8:5 

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 

Reflection

I come from a crowded country, India, where 1.4 billion people live. Before coming to the UK, I served as a minister in Calcutta, one of India’s most densely populated cities. The last church I served there had 500 members in the church. The size of the congregation in the churches here in the UK is a challenge for me. There have been times when I come prepared and passionate to lead a beautiful worship service and I find just two congregants turning up that Sunday morning; which is quite disheartening and discouraging.  People who are culturally Christian seem to prefer to be jogging, dating, going for family outings, etc, rather than having fellowship with God and His people in the Church. In my opinion, God has lost priority in their lives.

A challenge we have in this strange country is living in a world full of humanism where people do not want God and His truth to interfere with their lives and routines.  People want to make money because money provides the comfort and conveniences that we would like to have.  People want to have fun.  People want pleasure and fame. It seems we have an epidemic of selfishness in our world today, and this creates all kinds of unhealthy situations. When people refuse to prioritise God and follow His wisdom in their decisions, it causes them to become bogged down with worry, resentment, bitterness, and depression. 

Make it your goal to have a deep, intimate relationship with God. Let Him into every area of your life. When you decide to serve God with your whole heart and make Him first in your life, your soul will prosper and your joy and peace will increase. 

Prayer

Lord, if there is anything that I am not supposed to be doing but doing it, shift my focus away from it. Lord, let me set the real priority which is to seek You first. I say – God is my priority. Amen.