GOD WANTS US TO SEEK HIS KINGDOM FIRST

No other kingdom will give us the riches and blessings that God’s kingdom will. That’s His promise. Let’s live in it.

Eternal Perspectives   by Sally Bair

God’s kingdom

The lion is considered the King of the Jungle. As such, he isn’t readily confronted by other jungle inhabitants. And in the world of people, it takes a special kind to deal with him. 

Remember playing King of the Hill as a youngster? Only the boldest and strongest dared pull the King off the hill.

It takes a lot to be a king.  In the animal kingdom it takes strength, size, and fearlessness.  Among us humans it t takes more than that.  A good king must have a strong sense of command, compassion for and devotion to the people under him, and unbiased fairness.  In the Old Testament during the time the Israelites were ruled by kings, the people thrived when ruled by a good king.  The evil kings, however, brought the people down until they cried out to God for help.  It became a vicious cycle: good king, good life, bad king, adversity, repentance, deliverance, good king ….

Jesus spoke often about the Kingdom of God.  He was not an earthly king, as many wanted Him to be.  His was—and is—a spiritual rule.  He brought healing and deliverance to the people.  And He rules in the hearts of all who accept Him as king.  Besides healing and deliverance, Jesus' spiritual rule also includes power over Satan's domain.  Through the power of God’s Spirit, He still causes miracles to happen.

Jesus told us we must seek first His kingdom—not our own—and His righteousness, and then He will give us all that we ask.  We might wonder, what is our kingdom?  It might be our family, job or pastimes.  Whatever we control or whatever controls us becomes our kingdom. 

God's kingdom brings blessings that no other kingdom can.  It is our responsibility to seek His kingdom every day in every way.  It is not for those who neglect His Word and presence, who deliberately disobey and compromise our faith with worldly pursuits.  It is for those who persist in avoiding sin and following His will, even to the point of facing ridicule or worse.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  (Matthew 5:10)

Lord, forgive us when we've made other people and other things the king, the controller, of our lives.  Help us remember to seek Your kingdom above all others—every day in every way.  In Jesus' name, amen.