Thursday, 8/15/19 – Discipleship – Priorities

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt. 6:33)

When Jesus spoke these words He was not standing in the marketplace referencing the abundant exchanges of goods and cash. He was not standing before the courts of Caesar or the entry of the Synagogue pointing towards the powers of rulers or religion. When Jesus promised “all these things” He was not promising wealth, or fame, or prestige, or political power.

When Jesus spoke these words He was sitting on a hillside, in the barren wilderness of Judea. He had just been teaching on the care and provision of God toward nature.

He had taught that a choice was necessary: “You cannot serve both God and money.” (v. 24) He said. They are opposites. If you love one, you will hate the other.

The one who chooses God, shuns avarice. Nature knows. Unsullied by sin the birds trust; just as there was found a worm today, there will be found a worm tomorrow. For them, tomorrow is of no greater concern than yesterday.

No flower owns a mirror. It has no need to preen itself upon opening each morning. It merely rejoices in where it is planted, is thankful for the sun as much as for the rain. It pushes its roots deep and takes in all that the Lord provides. God sees to its beauty.

Nature abides confidently in its Creator, but sin has interfered in us.

Oswald Chambers describes our duplicity:

“Even the most spiritually-minded of us argue the exact opposite, saying, ‘But I must live; I must make a certain amount of money; I must be clothed; I must be fed. The great concern of our lives is not the kingdom of God but how we are going to take care of ourselves to live.” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, May 21 entry.)

Now we must “seek” God…. We must keep seeking Him as our priority. We must “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” We must learn again to trust, then, His promise stands, “all these things will be given to you as well.” Like birds and flowers we too may rest in His daily provision of our basic needs. “These things” are all we need, for when we have Him, we want nothing more.

Press on…

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