From the Morning Scriptures

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

–Luke 12:22-31 (TNIV)

Jesus is reminding us here to keep the Main Thing the main thing. What is the Main Thing? It ain’t riches or power or fame or any of the other human delusions. The Main Thing is having a relationship with Life. Without a relationship with God, none of us has real life. Sure, we have our temporary mortal existence and our bag of delusions, but the latter die when our bodies die.

Living in a world of instantaneous communication and fast-paced living accelerates our already sad tendency to be distracted. This, in turn, exacerbates our inability to keep the Main Thing the main thing. If you are really interested in keeping the Main Thing the main thing, then slow down. Become intentional in engaging in the means of grace–Bible study and prayer, regular worship and Christian fellowship. You will have to work hard at it but you will be working toward life, not death. And let’s face it. Aren’t the things most precious to us in this life the things that we had to work the hardest to obtain?