S112P3 – A good start: seeking these two
Mt. 6:31-33
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Her daughters were her world, and it seemed that she was theirs. Those two girls started out life following her around like little shadows. There was a time when they hung on her every word and only wanted to be close to her. As they grew, each girl developed her own personality, and a stark difference appeared between them. One girl remained focused on Mom as her source of strength and relationship. She still followed her mother and listened intently to every word she said. The other girl had long since stopped chasing that relationship but only approached Mom for the things she needed. Focused on what she could possess, she saw her mother simply as a source of material supply.
The Lord recognizes that we will be tempted to chase all kinds of things in this life. Our free will lets us decide how we prioritize what we consider to be our needs. God knows the worry that consumes the world and the way this informs how people direct their focus. We can concentrate on doing what we can and getting what we can to meet our physical needs, or we can prioritize our spiritual needs above that. I think that is what this passage is all about. We are to focus first on God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and the second part of that equation naturally follows. People can see God’s kingdom as just another source of material supply, but our concern should be that we carry his character before his blessings.
Seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness means that we go after him for the right reason. We chase God not for what we can get but because of who He is and because we desire to be like him. We first and foremost want him. If no other blessings are poured on us, it should not matter. The concern should be that we have become part of his kingdom, that we walk in his power, and that we become more like our Father in heaven. When we make that a priority, we certainly can trust that He will come through with the rest. Father, teach us to prioritize what should come first in this life and trust You to take care of our needs as You say You will.