People Be Seeking - First Priority!

"But you people be seeking - first priority! - his kingdom and righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you as well." - Matthew 6:33 translated by Dale Bruner

Do you find yourself worrying? 

I want to encourage you to start seeing worry as a sign. The next time you worry, take a step back and inspect your heart. Has the throne of your heart been filled with someone or something other than the King of kings? For when Jesus is seated as the King of our hearts, there is nothing in this world that can cause us to really worry. If he is King, there is nothing to worry about! Yet, so often we relinquish the throne of our hearts to others and anxiety arises. 

May worry become a trigger to compel you to invite Jesus to take his rightful place in your heart.

"Your kingdom come."

Like my friend Rich Mullins said, may we give our lives to Christ again and again, every moment of every day.

So what does righteousness have to do with all of this anyway? Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness? 

"'Kingdom' is the goal of the Christian quest, 'righteousness' the way to it." - Dale Bruner, The Gospel of John

If righteousness is living and doing as Jesus lived and did, then seeking his righteousness is seeking to live and do as Jesus lived and did. Sin has a reputation of clouding judgement, causing a veil to fall over our eyes so we don't see or think clearly. And if we don't see or think clearly, we won't even know when something or someone has invaded the throne room of our hearts.

Seeking his righteousness can often help us see more clearly the condition of our hearts.

Why is it so hard, sometimes, to do the right thing? Probably a heart-throne problem.

"Your will be done."

May his kingdom come in your heart, and his will be done as a result.