Pennies
Scripture Reading — Matthew 6:25-34
"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness." Matthew 6:33
On our way home I made a quick stop at a convenience store. As I got back in the car, my wife, Carol, said, "I think I heard something fall out of the car." I opened the door, looked around, and spotted two pennies. "Just a couple of pennies," I said. Later, at home, I noticed that my church key was missing. After looking in every place possible, and more than a little frustrated, Carol said, "Maybe that's what I heard falling out of the car." "Not likely," I said. But since I couldn't find the key at home, I got in the car and headed back to the store. I located the two pennies and then widened my search--and there, not six feet away, was my church key. When I'd found the pennies on the ground, I'd stopped looking for the cause of the noise Carol had heard. But those two pennies had kept me from the key. It happens. You wonder about your life, what it should add up to; you look around and see a few accomplishments, a job, and maybe a family. And you explore no further. You spot the pennies, and you miss the key. If you feel restless, you figure it must be a midlife crisis. So you shrug it off and look no further--and you miss Christ knocking at your heart's door. Don't settle for pennies. Keep searching till you find the kingdom of God. It's the key.
Lord Jesus, give us today a clear sense of what's important and what's not. May we seek carefully after the things that delight you. In your name we pray. Amen.
About the author — Jack Roeda
Rev. Jack Roeda is the senior pastor at Church of the Servant Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and an adjunct professor of preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary. He is married to Carol Sue Kok, and they have three children and two grandchildren. Pastor Roeda has served two previous churches: Exeter (Ont.) Christian Reformed Church and Calvary Christian Reformed Church, Holland, Michigan.
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