Seek First the Kingdom of God
Matthew 6:30-34 (NIV) 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Yesterday, we looked at the verses immediately preceding today’s scripture, and today we finish the thought—we are no longer pagans, running here and there after the things we not only need but want. When we seek the kingdom and His righteousness all these things will be given to us. Seek in the Hebrew “daresh” means to search for something diligently. So, if we search diligently after God, He will supply our needs according to His riches in glory. You see, putting things in God’s order makes all the difference.
Consider the story of Solomon, King David’s son. Solomon is a keen example of one who sought God first—not after all other options had run out, but first.
1 Kings 3:7-9 (NIV) 7 “Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor —so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.
“Don’t borrow trouble” supposedly has its roots in Appalachia or deep Southern slang, but as we can see, the true root goes back much farther. In the words of a wise young girl I once pastored, “God has this.”
May we, if we slip into worry or doubt, remember these words, “God has this.”
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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