Joy — Philippians 2 – Thursday
TODAY’S VERSE
2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (ESV)
Every one of us has 24 hours in a day. No more, no less (well, except on Daylight Savings, but you get the point).
Some of us have a lot of responsibilities: a household to manage, kids to care for, maybe aging parents to support. Some of us are learning to be responsible: to feed and clothe ourselves, manage finances, and keep the dishes clean. Some of us have chosen to take on responsibilities that aren’t absolutely essential: kids participating in travel ball, a house full to the brim with things, or a calendar full of a whole lot of yeses. Sometimes we wonder if we’ll ever catch up on sleep.
Every responsibility is an opportunity to practice stewardship of what (and who) the Lord has placed in front of us. Philippians 2:7 tells us that Jesus “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” Did you know that we all empty ourselves? We all spend our time and our energy on something.
Some efforts have lasting implications.
Others, not so much.
Jesus gave us a really easy metric to determine what we’re most focused on in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” If you want to know what you are devoting your life to, Jesus tells us our money lets us know what our hearts are focused on. What would an audit of your spending and saving habits reveal about your financial stewardship? What drives each of those choices?
Did you know there is a distinction between good giving and gospel giving?
James 1:27 tells us, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Do the things that you dedicate your time, money, and attention to support the spread of the gospel? Do they help to look after orphans and widows? Do they have eternal impact?
One of the reasons we aren’t experiencing joy is that we aren’t giving sacrificially to gospel things.
We aren’t sacrificing so that more people can know Jesus.
If you aren’t experiencing the joy of Jesus, it’s because you aren’t emptying yourself for the things of Jesus.
So, ask yourself this: Am I experiencing the joy of Jesus? What am I emptying myself out for?
APPLICATION
Southland is driven by Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost, and because of that, we are in no shortage of opportunities you can use to steward the time and resources God has given you for the purpose of His Kingdom. In other words, if you want to serve, we have several opportunities. Check out southland.church/localoutreach and see how you can get involved.
PRAYER
Lord, teach me to distinguish between good things and gospel things. Show me through Your Word the ways You are calling me to spend my time, energy, and resources for the advancement of Your Kingdom. You provide a joy I can’t find anywhere else. To You be all glory and honor. Amen.
