Seek This First

There are a lot of things that reach for our attention. Our time is filled with people and responsibilities, with needs and desires, and these all take time.

In Jesus’ famous sermon in Matthew 6, He spends time talking about the various things in life that we give our attention to. Jesus tells us that instead of spending our time worrying about our basic desires in life, we should seek His Kingdom and His righteousness. If we do that, then everything else will be taken care of.

So what does it mean to seek God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness?

God’s kingdom is about God’s rule and reign over all of creation. His kingdom began in Jesus’ ministry on earth and is now expanding and continuing through the Church. The work of the kingdom is to continue to tell others about the hope of Jesus, and to teach all the things Jesus has commanded us.

To seek God’s righteousness is to desire to live the way God intended. It is to live according to God’s commands, which requires that we make decisions that align with God’s Word.

Jesus says that if we do these two things—seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness—then every other area of our life will make sense. When we don’t prioritize God’s desires for our life first, then we will end up worrying about things that are temporary.

Living a life according to God’s Word ought to be our greatest concern because God’s Kingdom will last eternally.

Think about how you spend your time. Do you worry about things that are outside of your control? Consider how you can live for God’s kingdom rather than the things of earth. In what ways can you reprioritize your life in order to seek righteousness? Rather than worrying about things in life you can’t control, pray for God to meet your needs.