But Seek First His Kingdom

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But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

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).”


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I know you want to see the road ahead rather than trusting God. If you continue this way, the road will get longer and your spiritual progress will slow down. Give yourself as completely as you can to God. Do so until your final breath, and he will never desert you.

Francois de Fenelon

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About the author

Profile photo for John Hall

In 1997 John Hall, his wife Wei, and brother in-law started Eco Outdoor Sports in Metro Vancouver. In 2003 the business was sold, and his family entered a seven-year ‘desert experience’. During that time the Lord impressed on John and his family the importance of hearing and obeying Jesus every day, something that he tries to integrate into everything he does. In 2010 God changed the family’s direction and led him to finish his degree at Regent College in preparation for life as a full-time missionary overseas. That ministry opportunity didn’t develop as planned, as a whole new perspective and participation-in Christ’s mission was born at Missions Fest Vancouver. It’s now a daily occurrence for John’s business background and theological training to get a workout.

John served as the Executive Director at Mission Central (formerly Missions Fest Vancouver) from 2014 to April 2023.

John and Wei live in Richmond, BC. They have two wonderful adult girls. John completed his MA at Regent College in 2010.

Church
Church
The Tapestry Church (Richmond, BC)

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