Luke 12:22-34 Consider the Lilies
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: September 12, 2018 Luke 12:22-34
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
(Understanding the Text) This passage is an extension of the answer to the man in the crowd’s request for inheritance from his brother. After asking why the man thought that Jesus should be his judge, Jesus began a series of points about the folly of trusting to worldly possessions and ignoring God. He told the parable of the rich man’s barns. Then, He began a list of comparisons about why we should not worry about our security, especially for food and clothing security. This would have had even more meaning to a culture where food was based on taking it daily from nature and where most people only had one or two extra pieces of clothing. If something happened to the clothing they were wearing, chances were that they only had one other outfit to put on to cover their nakedness. For some people, there was no replacement. Clothing was made by hand with much effort, unlike today where lots of clothing can be picked up for a dollar at thrift stores and garage sales and food is available at the local grocery store with little effort.
(Revelation of God) Jesus tells us here that life is about more than filling our bellies and wearing nice clothing. He tells us that life is about more than survival. Nowadays, we interpret the parable that life is about more than comfort and appearance, but in Jesus’ time, food and clothing were the difference between physical life and death, not just luxuries. Jesus was saying that humans are worth more than just their physical life. To God, humans are invaluable and there is more to a human than the physical creature.
(Understanding the Text) First, Jesus compares people to ravens and other birds. He tells them that the birds don’t store up food, yet they eat well. God has provided food sources for the birds, and God will provide for His children who trust Him. Jesus extends the lesson by saying that being anxious will not add even one hour to a life. Worrying about the future and planning for security won’t make anyone live longer. This is a message that a lot of people need today, especially Adventists who worry too much about diet. They need to remember that following God’s guidelines for health is simply common sense, but if and when we begin thinking that it is a way to fight against whatever fate brings our way, or if we think that we are staving off death with diet, we have missed the point. Because our life could be cut short in thousands of ways and all our effort and anxiety cannot prevent that.
Then, Jesus compares clothing to the lilies of the field and how God clothes them in beautiful colors. Jesus says that humans are more important to God than the flowers. Jesus tells us that when we worry over clothing ourselves that we have little faith. Why? Because God already knows our needs, and we need to trust God to value us and provide for us.
(Revelation of God) Jesus says that we must be worried more about seeking heaven, but that even there we should not worry with anxiety because God wants to give us the kingdom of heaven. God feels pleasure at sharing His kingdom with us. Jesus said to sell our possessions and give to the poor rather than stocking up on possessions in order to have security for the future. Our security for the future should be to trust God to take care of the future while we focus on God’s kingdom now. Jesus says that helping others is a treasure that cannot be taken away from us. He also says that seeking God is the treasure that does not fail or fade away. If God is our treasure, then we have treasure for eternity rather than a short time of our lives.
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is to trust God to take care of me. I have to continually seek God and He will delight in revealing Himself to me. My physical needs will be taken care of and are secondary to my spiritual ones which are filled only by God. He is to be my primary focus in life. Teach me to look to You first, last, and always. I want to trust You, but too often my fear of being hurt makes my faith weak. Strengthen me.