Seek first the kingdom of God

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33 NKJ).

Jesus delivered the powerful words above to an astonished audience during the Sermon on the Mount. He had just spoken to them about dealing with the worries of everyday life, including what to eat and drink. In the preceding verse (Matt. 6:32), He told them that the gentiles (unsaved) essentially lived to “make ends meet.” They lived to pay bills, succeed in their careers, raise their families, make enough money, etc. That was what their life was about from the moment they got up till they lay in bed to sleep. Jesus had one lesson for us: there is more to life than this.

Did you notice the word “first”? He did not use “only,” but “first.” He wants us to seek first, not only. This means He is dealing with priority, not exclusivity. The pressures of our daily lives make many believers live with God at the bottom of their priority list. And some do not realize it. They think of prayer after everything else has failed. They meditate on the Word only when other more pressing issues in their lives allow some free time. Some do so when they are worn out and ready to sleep after giving the best moments of their time to other issues. I have come to realize that time is not the limiting factor in seeking God as many believers think. It is our sense of priority, not time. We know how to make time for what we value. Learn to put God first in all things, and you will never regret it.