First Things First
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
I often think about the kingdom I want to build here on earth — the first house Jacob and I will buy together and how I’ll decorate it, the garden we’ll cultivate in the backyard, the children we’ll have, and the family we’ll build together.
How much more do I think about my kingdom over His?
There’s nothing wrong with these desires. I would say they’re good, godly desires. But even good things go bad when they’re in the wrong place.
“But seek first His kingdom…”
There’s something so powerful about keeping first things first. When we order our lives according to God’s word, we are blessed and He is glorified.
It’s the principle of firsts. It’s why we set aside the first day of the week to worship Him in church and spend time with His people. It’s why we give Him the first portion of our income.
Our relationship with God and our communion with Him, which was purchased by Jesus’s great sacrifice at Calvary, is the most important. The kingdom of God should be our highest priority — seeking Him, reading His word, sharing the Gospel, meditating on the things of Him.
Every decision, every choice we make should reflect this principle.
I write this as one who has struggled to keep godly priorities. Selfishness creeps into my heart, and I find myself, more often than not, focusing on all that I want for my life … all the while forgetting that my life is now His.
The beautiful thing is that when we put Him first, when we submit to His will and His way, we find joy, peace, and blessing unimaginable. Nothing on earth, nothing I can accumulate, and nothing I can accomplish comes close to the satisfaction of knowing Him and living for Him.
He also promises that when we seek Him above all else, “all these things will be added to you.” Meaning, He cares for us and provides for us for as a loving Father. He has good plans for us. Plans that are different than what we would ever choose. Even so, we can trust Him. If you ever need reminding of this, look at the cross and the empty tomb, for it’s greatest picture of His heart for us. How can we not give Him our lives, our everything, in return?
“For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You!” Psalm 84:11-12
