Seek First...

Good Morning,

Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV)
"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Usually when we look at these verses from this section of Scripture we examine and talk about worry...and the uselessness of our worry. However, today we're looking at the verse in which Jesus tells us exactly where our first priorities should lie.

"But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides." (vv 33. AMP)

Before we go about looking to improve our lives and our living conditions in the world, FIRST, Jesus tells us, that we need to get our spiritual lives in order. FIRST we're to seek God; His kingdom; His righteousness. Now doing that would happen BEFORE we go and seek a new car or new house or new clothes or...well, before anything else.

Now what I hear this morning in my mind is, "David, what are you seeking after today? What is first on your list of priorities this day? Where have you been putting your efforts lately? Are you, truly, seeking Me, My kingdom, and My righteousness?"

I'm not going to give you my answers to these questions. After all, MY answers don't really mean anything to you, nor do they really affect the way you choose to live our life. How I answer these questions is something that I have to deal with between God and me. You see, you have to be the one to answer these questions to God...and to yourself. You have to be the one who takes the initiative to examine yourself, your mind, your heart, and your desires to see what might be FIRST in your life.

Here's the good news...If you don't much like the answers or don't think that God would like the answers, well, you can simply change those answers by making the changes necessary to be able to truly say, and truly live out, "God, His kingdom, and His righteousness IS first in all I do, all I want, all I really desire."

So, let's all do the right thing this morning and take some time to look deep inside and be honest with ourselves first and then, of course, God.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David