What Matters - Follow Jesus

Read:

Clovis Chappell, a minister from a century back, used to tell the story of two paddleboats. They left Memphis about the same time, traveling down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. As they traveled side by side, sailors from one vessel made a few remarks about the snail’s pace of the other. Words were exchanged. Challenges were made. And the race began. Competition became vicious as the two boats roared through the Deep South.

One boat began falling behind. Not enough fuel. There had been plenty of coal for the trip, but not enough for a race. As the boat dropped back, an enterprising young sailor took some of the ship’s cargo and tossed it into the ovens. When the sailors saw that the supplies burned as well as the coal, they fueled their boat with the material they had been assigned to transport. They ended up winning the race, but burned their cargo.*

Reflect

Read Psalm 127:2 from your Bible.

Respond

What really matters in life?

The Rat-Race of Life Philosophy #1: Go to work to have the money to buy the beans to eat the beans to have the energy to go to work to have the money…

The Rat-Race of Life Philosophy #2: Get all you can, can all you get, then sit on the can!

Neither of these philosophies will ever bring satisfaction. They may bring on a heart attack, a dozen other illnesses and an early grave, but not satifaction. Those who run in the “Rat-Race of Life” will end up like the boat above—at the end of the race empty and with nothing to show for it. Only Christ can truly satisfy. So this week, stop running and start relating. Life is about your relationship with God–That’s eternal life (John 17:3). Your relationship with Christ is what really matters.

Prayerfully consider what you have read today. Then take a few moments to pray for yourself, your students, and others with whom you serve in ministry.
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*Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm as quoted by A Children’s Leader Devotion (Lake Forest, CA: Saddleback Church), Week 21.