Text: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you….” (Matthew 6:33).
The word “seek” means to “look for,” “search for” or “try to find.” All of us have looked for things or people. We have searched for something lost or misplaced. We have probably searched for a better job with more pay; a larger house for our growing family; an automobile that will get us from point A to point B without breaking down, or a life-time partner.
During our life-time, each of us does a lot of seeking. Is what we are seeking important? I venture to say that what we seek is of importance to us. If we were never in seeking mode, our life would be stagnant, non-productive, and boring.
God gave us the opportunity to choose. If we didn’t seek we would have no reason to choose. I believe God wants us to seek all the things the world has to offer. Everything God created, He created for his children. Since God created so many things for us, there must be some logical way to go about seeking that which we desire.
God gave us a start down the right road when He said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness….” (Matthew 6:33). In other words, some things we seek are more important that the others. If this is the case, then we should prioritize what we are seeking. This should not be a problem because God has already given us item number 1.
Everything God created is good if we accept and use them in the correct manner. After the sixth day of creation “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Creating the world and everything necessary for man was God’s number one priority. After this was complete, He proceeded to his second item of importance and that was the creation of man.
If God had gotten his priorities out of order and created man first, man would not have been able to remain in existence. Getting our thoughts in order enables us to then get our actions in order.
Jesus told about the rich young man who had his priorities out of sequence. The young man had all the things of the world, but he wanted the assurance of knowing he had eternal life. We will all have eternal life, but we can spend it in one of two places. I think the young man knew this, and that he was talking about salvation and spending eternal life in the presence of Almighty God.
Jesus said to the young man, “If you want to enter life, obey the commandments” (Matthew 19:17).
There are Ten Commandments, so which one was he to obey? The commandments Jesus mentioned included adultery, stealing, giving false testimony, honoring mother and father, murder, and love of your neighbor. All of these commandments involve relationships with God’s other children.
Up to this point, the young man seemed to have his priority list in order because he did all of these things. Then Jesus said, “…sell your possessions and give to the poor….come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). Selling and following did not appear in the man’s priority list.
His number one priority was his wealth. His wealth seemed to get between him and God and he was not about to give up his riches. The young man didn’t realize it, but he had broken the first commandment which says, “You shall have not other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).
Jesus was trying to impress upon the mind of the young ruler what one has to do in order to be justified in the eyes of God. It is not bad to possess worldly possessions if they are not our first priority. God provides us with many things, but he wants us to use those things for the benefit of ourselves, our families and for other people.
If He should ask us to give up one of our possessions, we should not hesitate. If we hesitate to follow God’s directions, we are selfishly disobeying Him and placing that item between Him and us.
The young rich man could not bear to give up what he had, give to the poor, and follow Jesus. We cannot love God with all our heart if some worldly item is first on our priority list because that worldly item becomes our god.
If more people in the world would make Jesus number 1 in their life, they would not have many of the problems they now have. If Jesus occupied first place in the life of every married man and woman, marriages would last more than two or three years and children wouldn’t be pulled in several different directions.
If Jesus was the number one focal point in every family, the family bond would be indestructible. Children would be raised in the proper surroundings; taught the Word of God; taught to get along with one another; greed would be nonexistent, jealously would be gone; and, love would replace all the negativity that we now have.
Abraham was a man who had his priorities in order. God was first place in his heart. He was obedient to God and would do whatever God commanded or asked him to do. One day God said to Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2).
Abraham did not give God’s request a second thought. “He rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him” (Genesis 22:3).
This was a great act of obedience and a tremendous example of faith. Could you and I do this? Do we obey God as Abraham did? Is our faith strong enough that we can see beyond the immediate and believe that God will see us through or provide a means for whatever we face?
Abraham was a man of God with Godly faith. He knew without a shadow of doubt that God would provide the offering. He knew that God is a God of love and not a God of destruction. Abraham’s focus was obedience to the will of God. God was number one in his mind and in his life. Before Isaac even asked about the sacrifice, Abraham knew God would provide.
When Isaac asked, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:7), Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8). God will provide for each of his children if they will just place Him in the number one position on their list of priorities.
Joseph went through much trial and tribulation after his brothers sold him to the slave traders. Joseph was sold into slavery, but he never forgot Almighty God. God was first in his life and because of that, Joseph was treated well in the house of his Egyptian master. “The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered…” (Genesis 39:2).
The master’s wife took a liking to Joseph. She noticed how handsome and strong he was. One day she said to Joseph, “Come to bed with me!” (Genesis 39:7). Since God was first in his life, God enabled Joseph to resist the temptation, but not the punishment from his master. “Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison…” (Genesis 39:20).
Even though numerous negative events took place in Joseph’s life, he kept his eye on God and eventually he was placed in charge of Egypt. He was given the best of everything, including his signet ring, fine robes, gold chain, and his own chariot.
When the famine came upon the land, Joseph was able to provide for the people including his own family that had sold him into slavery. When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers he said, “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance” (Genesis 44:7).
Joseph always looked to and prayed to God and as a result God became number one in his life. When God occupies first place in our life, nothing else matters. Whatever storms we may face during our journey through life, if our priorities are in order with Jesus first, we have nothing to fear.
“When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She then wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them” (Luke 7:38, 38).
This woman was a prostitute. She lived a life of sin thinking about her own wants. Her priorities were out of order and she was not a happy joyful person. When she finally realized her status and her position in life, she rearranged her priorities placing Jesus first. When Jesus became her first priority, her sins were forgiven and forgotten. Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace” (Luke 7:50).
There is another story about a woman who had a bleeding issue for twelve years. This woman wanted very badly to be healed of this condition. She went to the local physicians and used all her money, but found no relief. This woman is just like us. She was thinking worldly. She was counting on the wrong people to stop her bleeding.
I am not saying that physicians are not important or that they do not help us, but I am saying that they do not heal. There is only one physician who can heal our hurts and wounds and that is none other than the Great Physician. We are all guilty of forgetting our first source.
The woman looked to Jesus and believed in her heart that He could heal her if she could only touch the hem of his robe. Her faith not only kicked into high gear, but her priorities were rearranged and healing took place in her body. Jesus said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” (Luke 8:48)
Who was first in Jesus’ life when he walked upon the face of the earth? Who was he in constant communication with? Who did he consult each time a decision was to be made? Who did he look to as his source? It was God the Father.
If this is what Jesus did, then this is what we should do. Yes, Jesus did care for other people. He healed those who were hurting. He fed the hungry. He raised the dead. He drove out evil spirits. He did all these things out of love, but his number One source was Almighty God.
We can do many good works, but our focus should be on God and not on ourselves. We can really do nothing constructive and helpful if our focus is on ourselves or some other person or thing.
Our Scripture reading tells us that Jesus and his disciples entered a village where Martha and Mary lived. These women were sisters and I would guess that Martha was the older because she seemed to be running the household. Martha is the one who invited Jesus and his disciples to come into the house. She was apparently doing the household chores.
Both of these women loved Jesus. Martha’s interest rested in doing things for Jesus. She wanted to make sure the house was clean and in order. She wanted to prepare the food for her visitors. Martha wanted to do everything to make Jesus and his disciples comfortable. She wanted to serve Jesus by doing things.
There is nothing wrong with this. We are much like Martha. We like to serve Jesus by taking and caring for his children who are in need. We sometimes wear ourselves out and go the second and third mile to serve on church boards, make visitations, work on the hospitality committee, visit the sick, send cards to those we haven’t seen for a while, teach in Sunday school, work on the bulletins, clean the church and a host of other things. People are kept very busy doing all the tasks. They are just like Martha.
Mary was not quite this way. She most likely performed her chores, but when company came, she was more interested in communicating with them. This is exactly what Mary did when Jesus and his disciples entered the house. She loved him and wanted to drink in and digest every word he said. She was interested in giving him 100 percent of her attention.
Martha was a bit upset with Mary. She felt that Mary needed to rise from her sitting position at the feet of Jesus and pitch in with the chores. There is no question that Jesus was first in the life of each of the women, but Martha was serving Jesus by doing things and Mary was serving Jesus by listening to his words.
There are people in churches throughout the land doing many things in the name of Jesus, but not serving him by reading his Word and listening to him when he speaks to them. Jesus always pays attention to us when we ask or request through prayer. Sometimes we think prayers go unanswered, but in reality, we aren’t listening to what God has to say to us.
Martha was not listening to Jesus, but she was serving him. Mary was serving Jesus by listening to what he had to say. Jesus would rather we listen to him as he speaks to us through his Word instead of stressing ourselves doing things and placing his Word in second place. Our first priority should be to focus on Jesus and let him direct our thoughts which will lead us to perform the right actions.
Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41, 42).
Conclusion:
Who is first in your life? Some people will say that their spouse is first. That is not a bad response, but the fact is that your spouse is no better than you. In other words you are on the same level. Both of you are sinners saved by grace. That grace does not come from your partner, but it comes from God.
God wants to occupy first place in our life. There is no one or no thing greater than God. He is the only one who is with you at all times. He is the only one who knows all your needs. He is the only one who will listen to you every hour of the day. He is the only one who can heal your body and keep you in shape.
Martha and Mary certainly did love Jesus, but they showed it differently. Martha was concerned with doing and Mary was more interested in listening.
I like the way Rodrick K. Durst described Martha problem. He said, “In computer language, Martha had opened too many programs and windows, and her attempts to multitask caused her computer to crash due to insufficient Mary.”
Martha was trying to do too many things for Jesus and Mary wasn’t helping, so Martha complained to Jesus about doing all the work herself. She indicated to Jesus that Mary should help. Jesus did not agree with Martha, but told her what was more important.
Mary was serving Jesus by listening to his every word. We need to follow Mary. Her attention was 100 percent on Jesus. We should to the same thing.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you….” (Matthew 6:33).
Amen.
