In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is identifying a very important principle as He discusses three basic practices in all Christian communities: giving to the poor; prayer; and fasting.
Did you observe what is intrinsic to each of these? Each of these constitutes a private transaction between the Christian and our Heavenly Father. I see this as the underlying theme to everything in the Sermon on the Mount thus far.
God the Father Almighty loves you. God invites you to be reconciled to Him through faith in Jesus who loved you and gave himself for you. Because you are reconciled to God, your needs for love, acceptance and a sense of self-worth can be fulfilled in ways you never dreamed were possible. Is that enough for you?
By faith in Jesus you can experience God’s complete love and acceptance of you as His beloved child. Is that enough for you?
Can you be satisfied plumbing the depths of how wide, how long, how high, and how deep God’s love is for you? Are you satisfied knowing you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God? (Ephesians 3:18-19)
Simply put, Jesus is asking, is it enough that your Father knows that you give to the poor, pray and fast? Or do you need the praise and adoration of the world around you in order to feel whole and fulfilled?
(In case you haven’t figured it out yet, seeking to be fulfilled through the praise of the world is like trying to quench your thirst by drinking sea water.)
What does today’s reading reveal to you about God?
What does it reveal to you about yourself?
Think about what God wants you to do or remember about this passage.
Does God want you to change anything in your life?
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