What Really Matters

Read: Psalm 30

Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. —Psalm 30:4

As a deadly tornado ripped through Will County, Illinois, a young father sat cradling his infant child, born just 3 weeks before. When the fierce, howling winds finally subsided and calm had returned, the man's house was gone—and so was his baby. But according to the news report, the father found his child in a field near his house—alive and well! And so was the rest of his family.

When asked by a reporter if he was angry that he had lost everything he owned, he replied, "No, I just thank God I have my baby and my family. Some people don't have that. Nothing else is important."

Often it takes times of tragedy to remind us what really matters in life. When things are going well, we can easily get preoccupied with what we own. We become tied to so many nonessential, unimportant things. We tend to grow overly concerned about cars, houses, furniture, appliances, clothes, and countless other trappings of modern life. But when life is reduced to the essentials, as it was in the Illinois tornado, we recall again that life itself is enough reason to praise God.

Have you spent time today praising God for your life and for the people He has given you to share it with? That's what really matters. —Dave Branon


Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your love for me. Thank You also for family and friends. And thank You for the gift of life itself. Help me live each day for You.

When you think of all that's good, give thanks to God.

daily bread