Seek First the Kingdom of God – Matthew 6:33
Seek First the Kingdom of God – Matthew 6:33
Introduction:
Busyness – The Most Acceptable Excuse for Neglecting God
Busyness is one of the most socially acceptable reasons for neglecting God. Nobody questions us when we say, "I'm too busy." Most people understand because they are also busy.
The pace of modern life has slowly affected the spiritual lives of many genuinely well-meaning people. We often call it a scheduling problem, but sometimes it is actually a priority problem.
We have time for work, family, responsibilities, entertainment and many other things. But when it comes to spending time with God, we often try to fit Him into whatever time is left.
The question we need to ask ourselves is: Are we too busy for God, or have we allowed other things to become more important than God?
Seek First – Matthew 6:33
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Jesus spoke these words during the Sermon on the Mount, particularly while teaching about worry, anxiety and our daily needs.
People spend enormous amounts of energy pursuing the things necessary for physical life: food, clothing, shelter and security.
But Jesus gives a different order:
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.
Notice that Jesus did not say:
Seek God's kingdom when life becomes less busy.
Seek God's kingdom after your career is established.
Seek God's kingdom after your children grow up.
Seek God's kingdom when you finally have free time.
He said FIRST.
The word "first" is not merely about giving God a particular time slot in the morning. It is about the direction and orientation of our entire lives.
Seeking God first means asking ourselves before every major decision:
Does this decision please God?
Does this use of time help me grow spiritually?
Am I allowing God to direct my life?
Am I making decisions without including Him?
It is not about adding God to our busy lives. It is about organizing our lives around God.
The Difference Between Adding God to Our Lives and Organizing Our Lives Around God
Adding God to our busy lives:
We pray when we find time.
We read the Bible when it is convenient.
We attend church when nothing else comes up.
We ask God to bless our plans.
God becomes just another part of our schedule.
No Organizing our lives around God:
We make prayer a priority.
We make God's Word our daily foundation.
We give worship its rightful place.
We ask God to direct our plans.
God becomes the center of our lives, and everything else takes its proper place.
These two lifestyles may look similar, but spiritually they are completely different.
In the first lifestyle, God is present but peripheral. He becomes a guest in a life controlled by other priorities.
In the second lifestyle, God is the center, and everything else is organized around Him.
Martha and Mary – Luke 10:38–42
This passage gives us a beautiful example of how busyness can distract us from God's presence.
Martha was busy preparing and serving. Mary, however, sat at Jesus' feet and listened to His words.
Martha's service was not wrong. Preparing and serving were good things. But she allowed her activities to distract her from the most important thing: being with Jesus.
Jesus said:
"Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part." (Luke 10:41–42)
Lesson: We can be busy doing things for God and still neglect spending time with God.
Sometimes our activities become so important that we forget the One for whom we are doing them.
Jesus Himself Made Time for Prayer – Mark 1:35
"And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."
Even Jesus, with all the demands of His ministry, made time to pray.
People were looking for Him. There were needs to attend to, people to heal and ministry to accomplish.
Yet He withdrew to spend time with His Father.
If Jesus prioritized fellowship with the Father, how much more should we?
Practical Application for Our Daily Lives
Before beginning our daily activities, we should ask ourselves:
Have I given God my attention today?
Am I allowing my responsibilities to replace my relationship with Him?
Am I asking God to lead my day, or am I asking Him to bless a day I have already planned?
If God is truly first in my life, can people see that through the way I spend my time?
We don't necessarily need an empty schedule to seek God. We need a surrendered heart.
God does not ask us to abandon our responsibilities. He wants us to put Him first while fulfilling those responsibilities.
Additional Scriptures for Meditation
Psalm 46:10 – Be still and know that I am God.
Colossians 3:2 – Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Proverbs 3:5–6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and acknowledge Him in all your ways.
Luke 10:42 – One thing is needful.
Matthew 6:21 – Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Final Takeaway
Don't wait until life becomes less busy to seek God. Seek Him in the middle of your busy life.
Don't give God the leftover minutes of your life. Give Him the first place in your heart.
God should not be an addition to our schedule; He should be the center of our lives.
The real question is not how busy we are, but whether God still has first place in our hearts.
Remember: A busy life is not necessarily a fruitful spiritual life. Being busy for God is not a substitute for being with God.
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