"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Matthew 6:33 ESV
Our lives are full of busy things. A long list of tasks that need, or at least we think our necessary, to get done. It's not bad enough that we have our list of to-dos; we always have others willing to add to the list. At times the number of our tasks becomes intimidating, and we become anxious. One of the ways we attempt to reduce that stress is by organizing those tasks into categories. When do things need to be done, and how long do we think a job will take, etcetera? We prioritize! Sometimes though, even the task of organizing our list can be exasperating.
Jesus is fully aware of our human struggle with setting priorities. He knows we are tempted to put our human needs and wants ahead of our more critical spiritual needs and wants. We put aside our spiritual practices because we are too busy. In this verse, Jesus makes it very clear, "seek God and his righteousness first." Our highest priority needs to be on our relationship with God. Everything else is secondary. In placing God first, all the other things on our to-do list become subject to his will. When we read scripture, meditate on the word, and in prayer, listen to the Holy Spirit’s direction, our priorities become God's priorities.
Our loving God has an interest in the health and welfare of his children. His desire for us is to be happy and healthy. The next verse says, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Each day brings a new list, don't worry about it. Put God first in your life, and he will help you with all the rest.
God, we give you thanks for your love and care for us. You understand how easy it is for us to become overwhelmed by our to-dos. You want to help us, but we are often hesitant to seek you. We are guilty of thinking we are too busy to make time for you. Forgive us those times when we put other priorities ahead of you. Please help us listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance in facing each day’s tasks and help us remember your love for us and feel your peace in place of anxiety. In your Son and our Savior Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Blessings!
Pastor Tim
