But Seek First His Kingdom

We should be concerned with self-care – especially during COVID. Self-care typically includes things like eating well, exercising, being part of a community, and sleeping well. But God want us to reflect more deeply on what makes up our well-being. Have we thought about how the way we use time may impact the quality of our life? Jesus says if we seek the kingdom first and are concerned with our right-standing with God, then we don’t have to worry about the rest of life.

I think that if we really grasp this, we will realize that not only does God not want us to worry about our resources, He also doesn’t want us to worry about time. In fact, if God is first in our desires, then God will be first in our time. I’m not suggesting that our devotional time should take up the bulk of our week, but this does mean that everywhere and at all times there will be a God-orientation in our minds and spirit.

The Message says it well: “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” (Matt 6)

Releasing our attention from the demands of life is foundational to experiencing the joy of a life of hearing and obeying Jesus.

Action:

Ask Jesus to show you how your attention needs to be oriented towards him.

Has God spoken to you? Take a moment to reflect on what God wants you to do. Turn it into an “I will” action and share it with someone. For instance:

• Share with someone: “I struggle with orienting myself towards Jesus… will you pray for me?”

• Encourage someone: “Jesus has helped me to orient myself to him through the day in this way (example).”