Devotional:First Things First:Matthew 6:25-34

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33, NASB).

Life has a tendency to cause us to have anxiety. Yes, we ought to be concerned about our needs, and we ought to make preparations for the things that we need. However, we cannot control the situations that we often find ourselves in. Difficult situations ought not to control the thoughts that we have. If we have faith in God we can be certain that whatever we need in life God is able to supply our needs. God not only has the ability to supply our needs; it’s a sure thing that He will supply our needs.

In this text Jesus compares us to the birds in the air, and the lilies of the field. God supplies the birds with food. He clothes the lilies of the field. The birds and the lilies do not worry. Their needs are supplied by God. Jesus assures us that we are worth more than the birds and the flowers. The Gentiles seek after these things because they do not know the Father in heaven. They worry because they do not know that the Father sends the rain on the just and the unjust (5:45). On the other hand, the believer has no need to worry.

How can we avoid worry? We must put first things first. If we seek God’s kingdom first and His righteousness we can be sure that the things that we worry about will be added unto us. These are part of the words of a song that testifies to this truth. “If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out. Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there. God is first. His kingdom and His righteousness are second. If we seek these things first, we have no reason to allow our worries to control our minds.

Prayer: Lord, we seek your kingdom and your righteousness. Amen.