Jesus made an incredibly revolutionary statement when He said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”(Matthew 6:33)
Think about it.
Here in America, especially, we’ve been bred to work hard, study hard, invest well and get all your ducks in a row before taking any calculated risks. It’s that survival of the fittest mentality that places everyone’s own well-being as their top priority. “We only have one go at this life, so grab all you can, run for the door and don’t look back.”
He (Jesus) made this commandment at the end of a lecture about anxiety. We’re often so quick to volunteer for the service of God but we have all these excuses: “what shall we eat? What shall I wear?”(Matthew6:31) “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home” (Luke 9:61). What good is it to say “Lord, I will follow, but…”?
We cannot allow our anxieties to cloud our willful service to God.
Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:19 that “God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Again in Romans 8:32, “ He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
The kingdom of God is here and yet so often we let our anxieties get in the way and place restrictions on our commitments.
“The great concern of our lives is not the kingdom of God but how we are going to take care of ourselves to live. Jesus reversed the order by telling us to get the right relationship with God first maintaining it as the primary concern of our lives, and never to place our concern on taking care of the other things of life.” Oswald Chambers
Whether it be our fear of provision or social status, whatever it may be, let us remember that “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God”(Luke 9:62). Let not our fear of what the world may throw upon us dampen our resolve to obey or hamper our trust that God will provide everything we need.
Philippians 4:5-7: “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
“God, let us remember to cast all of our anxieties on you, because you care for us(1 Peter 5:7). Let us ‘not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself'(Matthew 6:34).”
If we are anxious for anything may it be that the greatest concern for our lives is that we place our relationship with God first, and everything else second.