Wrecked
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
In Matthew, Chapter 6, verse 33, Jesus commands us to seek the Kingdom first and place God above all things. Jesus teaches that we must prioritize kingdom values over the world’s: we must choose to die to self and the ways of the world to glorify God with our lives. When we choose a Kingdom mindset, we experience the peace of God despite our circumstances. We know, as believers, that living a Matthew 6:33 life is freedom. Not from trial or unmet dreams, but a life lived with the assurance of John:
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”
1 John 5:13-15
And the contentment of Paul:
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:11-13
Yet, in many areas of our lives, it is profoundly difficult to surrender to God’s will and seek Him first. Despite knowing the truth—God provides for our daily needs and worldly treasures are a vapor—many of us fret and toil. We rely on self or look to worldly gurus in pursuit of what we believe we need to be content. Chasing the temporary, we lose sight of the eternal and compartmentalize our need for Jesus. In some areas, we run to Jesus, but in others, we turn our gaze inward and downward. Self-reliant and world dependent, we find ourselves not only in the culture but of it. Is it any surprise that in every area where Matthew 6:33 is not lived out—the areas where we toil rather than trust—we are never satisfied and often stressed? More importantly, the areas of our lives where Jesus is a second priority, or not prioritized at all, leave us open to the enemy’s attacks. The enemy loves to seize upon discontent as it provides an opportunity to tear us from the sufficiency of God’s grace. Only a Kingdom first, Christ-centered life—in full surrender and obedience to God—transforms our desires, fills the want and enables us to fully experience God’s transcendent peace.
The best part: God is and has always been in relentless pursuit of your heart and mind:
“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.”
Ezekiel 34:11-13
Throughout the Bible, it is abundantly clear that God’s greatest desire is to bring His children home. He wants us to love Him above ourselves and above the things of this world. He wants us to surrender to His perfect will for our lives so that we can experience the fullness and victory of Christ. God wants everyone to have a radical, new self in Christ! Matthew 6:33 is the “how to” instruction verse. His Spirit is our mentor to protect us against our own brokenness and the things of the world. When we live a Matthew 6:33 life, we are assured and content.
We are wrecked for this world:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2