Seek First

Key Scripture – Matthew 6 verse 33, ‘But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

At the beginning of a new year in England there is a tradition called ‘new year's resolutions’, this is where people resolve to make positive changes and practises in one's personal life. It may be diet or giving up drinking alcohol or giving up smoking or even trying to be less critical of others or controlling certain negative emotions. Many practise this for a few weeks or even days and then go back to past bad habits and ways.

But for the Christian disciple the resolution is usually to put God first, back up the centre of one’s life. Christianity is a journey that has destination, the ultimate destination is with Christ Jesus in heaven, but along the highway of holiness (Isaiah 35) there are many stations or milestones. As a Christian is easy to reach a comfortable plateau or interesting detour or distraction which can delay or even stop us in our tracks! Marriage, children, work, money, relationships or divorce are just some of the life issues or events that can take away our focus or passionate pursuit of our primary reason for being, to know God more! To know God more involves actively and fervently, zealously and earnestly seeking Him through Christ, the Word, and prayer.  Hebrews 11 verse 6 says this ‘but without faith it is impossible to please him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.’

Hosea 5 verses 15 to Hosea 6 verse 3 says this ‘I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense.  Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. 2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. 3 Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

‘To seek’ in the Bible occurs more than 210 times and means to search for diligently and earnestly until the object of the search is found. To seek the Lord's face, his presence is the greatest quest and adventure the Christian disciple can enrol and take part in, and it is no impossible task Jeremiah 29 verses 11 to 13 says this, ‘11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.’  (Deuteronomy 4 verse 29)

And Psalm 63 verse 1 says this, ‘O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.’

This indicates what our priority should always be. Prayer, fellowship and communication and communion with God should be the first and last part of all Christian disciples, there are no exceptions. In the beatitudes in Matthew 7 verses 7 and 8 Jesus teaches us the unalterable truth. A. S. K.

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Psalm 105 verses 2-4 says this, ‘2 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! 3 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! 4 Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!’

Indicating the joy set before those who seek first God and his Kingdom! In Isaiah 55 verses 6 to 9 it says this, ‘Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.7 Let the [b]wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.’

In all honesty, settling for a lukewarm face or trying to mix heavens calling with earth distractions and deceptions, never brings happiness or joy to the one who has tasted the things of God and has settled for a mediocre faith. The door of faith and venture lies ajar for all who seek and the path stretches out and ends at his feet. We end with the book of Hebrews 13 verse 25 which says, ‘25 Grace be with you all. Amen.’

 if you know this word to be true, return to him with all your heart! He will forgive you, lift you up and take you swiftly to your destination. Amen.