First place
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”Matthew 6:33
Reflection
We have reached devotional number 300, and the verse that marks this point is one of the best known in the Bible. Jesus is in the Sermon on the Mount, speaking about worry: what to eat, what to wear, how to pay the bills. He points to the birds and the lilies and reminds us that the Father cares for them. And then He gives the key to it all: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." It is not an order to despise needs, it is an invitation to reorder priorities, and that is precisely why it has so much power.
Notice the word "first". Jesus does not say "seek only" the kingdom, nor "forget the rest". He says the kingdom must come first. The order matters. Whoever puts things in the right order discovers that the others line up. If the kingdom holds first place, the other tasks find their place. If it holds second, anxiety takes command. And what is it to seek "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness"? It is to desire that God's rule be established in our lives and around us, and to live His way: with truth, love, justice and obedience. It is to ask, before deciding: "What does God want here?".
The promise follows: "all these things shall be added unto you". "These things" are the needs Jesus had been speaking about: food, clothing, sustenance. Whoever seeks the kingdom first discovers that the Father, who cares for the birds, also cares for His children. Careful: this is not a formula for getting everything we want, but the promise that God provides what is necessary for those who trust in Him. And the word "added" has a lovely image: they are like a bonus, an extra, given on top of what is already the greatest wealth, which is the kingdom itself.
If you have walked this far, that is 300 days of meetings with God, and perhaps you have already experienced this truth. At this milestone, ask a simple question: what holds first place in my life, in my time, in my mind, in my money? Choose one concrete decision to put God first again: the first hour of the day, the first portion of income, the first response to a difficulty. Seek first. The rest He adds, and you will discover that the kingdom is greater than everything you were looking for.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for 300 days of walking with You. Today I put You first. Set my priorities in order, take from me the anxiety that occupies Your place and teach me to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness. I trust that You will add everything I need. May You come before everything. Amen.
Put it into practice
At this 300-day milestone, choose one concrete decision to put God first (the first hour of the day, the first portion of income or the first response to a worry) and begin today.
To reflect on
What has held first place in your life (time, mind, money), and what would change if the kingdom of God held that place?
Bible text: King James Version (public domain).