SEEK FIRST
“For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:32-33 NIV
God never calls us to seek what He has not already made possible to find. To do otherwise would not reflect His benevolence or His nature, for every promise He makes is given with the intention of fulfillment.
In this passage, Jesus gives one of His most vital commands: to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, with the assurance that everything else we need will be added to us. The “kingdom of God” is not merely a distant, heavenly place we hope to reach one day; it is God’s present reign and rule in the hearts and lives of His people here and now, a reality today, as much as a future hope. To seek His kingdom means surrendering to His kingship, allowing Him to reign over our spirits, souls, and bodies, and submitting our lives so that His will is done in and through us. It means living by His righteousness, because kingdom and righteousness cannot be separated. We cannot flourish in His kingdom apart from a life shaped by His holiness.
This calling also grounds us in today while fixing our eyes on eternity. We live each day empowered by His Spirit, continually transformed by His sanctifying work, knowing that one day all the saints will dwell with Christ forever.Jesus doesn’t ignore our natural concerns, our tendency to worry about needs, security, and the future. He knows our inclination to chase after things, forgetting the covenant we share with the Giver of all good and perfect gifts.
He sees to it to remind us that when we truly seek Him and His righteousness first, every other need is placed into His hands and He is faithful to add what we require. Praise Him!
Prayer: My Father, I thank you for this truth. I have learnt to seek You above all else. Your spirit helps me to surrender my heart, my desires, and my plans daily so that Your kingdom and righteousness take first place in my life. I am free from worry and the pull to chase after what cannot satisfy, for I am filled with trust that You provide all I need as I walk with You, in Jesus’ name. Amen!
CI.
RELATED RESOURCES
• Proverbs 16:3
• Luke 12:29–32
• Psalm 37:3–5
