What Matters Most To God

Yesterday at the breakfast table, I read a Christmas letter from some good friends that started out with this sentiment: “We trust you are doing well, especially in the things that matter most.” That got me thinking about what it is that really does matter most. I have to admit that much of my mental attention this month has been on the daily income trend of the organization. Having barely survived last year’s downturn in December gift income, it’s easy for me to think that what matters most is the number of those dollars coming through the front door each day.

But stopping to pray with Anita there at the breakfast table, I was struck with how many other things really do matter more than income dollars. They include friendships and relationships, involvement in a Kingdom-impact job, our three children each walking with the Lord, good health and, most of all, assurance of spending Eternity with our Lord. Ultimately, what should matter most to me is what matters most to God.

A few hours later, I shared with our Spokane office staff during our weekly chapel/prayer time how Jesus revealed in Luke 4:16 some of the things that matter most to God: good news for the poor, freedom for prisoners, sight for the blind, release for those in oppression and, “to proclaim the year of God’s favor.” What a privilege it is to be part of an organization that is promoting exactly these things through our network of worldwide partnerships.

If this work matters so much to God, than what does that mean for us?

One thing I feel it means is beginning each day with a renewed commitment to make ourselves available to God for “what matters most.” Therefore, I am calling all our local staff here in Spokane to dedicate from 8:45 to 9:00 every morning to join together in a time of corporate prayer. It will be a time of sharing some scripture, thanksgiving and bringing before our God some of the specific needs of Partner’s ministry. I invite and encourage all of our extended Partners family members to set aside a similar amount of time on a daily basis to pray for our ministry.

When you step back and realize the huge goals and objectives we are attempting for God’s Kingdom, (not to mention a $2 million income goal for December) it is so clear to me that we will not ever succeed without God being at the very center of all our endeavor. This daily commitment of prayer is one small step I believe we must make to keep us, in turn, centered on Him.