Mathew 6:33 (MSG) ‘People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.’

DAILY READING; • Galatians 4:21-31; Lamentations 3-4; Psalm 146

Ann Hasseltine was born in 1789 into a wealthy family and was doted upon by her parents. As a teenager, she enjoyed various entertainments of her day and often attended amusing balls and parties. But despite her life of pleasure and opulence, Ann knew that something was missing.
She lacked peace, joy and fulfillment. One day, while the teenage Ann was reading John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, she became greatly impacted and surrendered her life to Christ. She began to spend time in Bible study and prayer as she desired to be used by God in His service.
At age 21, she met and married Adoniram Judson, who was a young missionary. Many of Ann’s friends thought she was not in her right mind when she planned to follow her husband to serve as missionaries in India in 1812. It was unthinkable then that a young woman would travel to such an unknown place to work among the heathen in primitive surroundings. Yet for Ann, though it meant leaving behind her family and life of comfort, she insisted on going to the mission field. She knew this was the work God had called her to do.
As Ann embarked on the journey with her husband, she became the first female missionary sent out from America. They began their missionary work in Burma, where the Gospel had never reached the over 15 million population.
While in Burma, Ann helped her husband with Bible translation. With her translation of the Gospel of Matthew in 1819, Ann became the first person to translate any part of the Bible into Siamese. She also translated the Books of Daniel and Jonah into Burmese.
As a missionary, her accomplishments are quite noteworthy. She influenced people through her writing, and stirrred the zeal for missionary work in them. Through her ministry many converts were brought to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Ann Judson found no lasting fulfillment in worldly pleasures and entertainment until she located her calling and began serving in God’s kingdom.
The Christian life requires that we choose the will of God over the flimsy and mundane pursuits of the world.
Life is not meant to be spent running after what pleases us, but rather in seeking what pleases God.
How well we follow God’s purpose, not ours, is what matters most in eternity.
If we are truly serious about serving God, then we must make a definite choice to totally live for Christ and not for self.
His will must prevail over all our ambitions and selfish desires. Our great priority should be the promotion and expansion of God’s Kingdom. This should be our focus especially in these end times.
To secure our destiny in Christ, it’s important that we evaluate our priorities and ensure we are pursuing God’s purpose first.
We can no longer afford to keep wasting time, running after frivolities and things that lack eternal value. Pursuit of earthly treasures and pleasures is temporary, but our investment of service in God’s Kingdom is eternal.
Living today in a world full of distractions it can be easy to allow the cares of this life to divert our attention from the divine purpose for our lives.
We must therefore guard against this and continually keep pressing forward, towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus [Philippians 3:13].
Let us invest more in building up a life of great spiritual depth though prayer, study of God’s Word, fellowship with the Spirit and service in God’s Kingdom.
Truly, we can never place God first and come last in life. Certainly, God honors those that honor Him and is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always choose You above all else. Today, I thank You for granting me the grace to seek Your Kingdom first and live a life that pleases You always in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
It takes a heart for God to make a mark in the sands of time. – – WORDBITE 222