READ:
Matthew 6:33
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
EXHORTATION:
Instead of being preoccupied with material provision for our daily lives, we are exhorted here by the Lord Jesus Christ to make God’s kingdom and His righteousness our primary object of attention. We must be deliberate to give preference to spiritual matters over worldly matters. Nothing should be allowed to take precedence over our commitment to seek the spiritual and moral excellence in our lives. Moreover, we must exert great care and diligence to live a consecrated life to God. It must be our chief business on earth. Our hearts, minds and bodies must be wholly dedicated to fulfilling our spiritual duties, both in public and in private.
There are those who seek to be religious for the sake of material gain. They appear to be very prayerful and devout. But let us not forget that the first things in their lives are not what they appear to do, but the motive of their hearts. When piety is expressed for temporal advantage, it is not the kingdom of God that is first sought after, but the material gain. Therefore they seek first the temporal advantages.
Let not our hearts be deceived into making spiritual matters subservient to earthly matters. Let us not seek God and His kingdom so as to become wealthier and healthier. In fact, we must let all our pursuits in life be subservient to our desire for God, His kingdom and His righteousness. Whatever be our engagements in life, we must remember that we have a higher goal. And in whatever relationship we have with men, we should never forget that we have a greater commitment to God.
We are specifically instructed by our Lord to seek first “the kingdom of God”. What is the kingdom of God? It is to have Him reign over our hearts. His will must be our highest concern. Our prayer always ought to be: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). It is also to serve Him in His kingdom. The Lord exercises His authority and will today through His church. So, we must serve the Lord in His church to exalt His greatness. We must give ourselves to the extension of His kingdom through the preaching of the Gospel. We must also live in obedience to His Word to promote His righteousness. Let us also look forward to His coming as King of kings. If these are our chief concerns of life, the Lord promises to take care of all our needs.