But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33 NLT
Remember playing hide and seek as a kid? My sister and I would play with the five kids who lived across the street from us. On summer nights, we would be out until bedtime. The whole yard would be fair game. They were nights filled with action and fun.
Have you given much thought to the word: seek? It’s an interesting word. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, it means: to look for, cast about, ferret out, hunt, quest, search. It can also mean to assay, endeavor, strive, struggle, to undertake, an attempt to find.
It is a verb, which requires action, as it does when playing the game, hide and seek.
Seek comes from an Indo-European word that shares its root with a Latin word: perceive.
Perceive is also a verb, which means to become aware of, or come to realize, or understand, interpret or look on something in a particular way.
So in our scripture today, we’re told to seek first the Kingdom of God. I know God’s not asking us to play hide and seek with Him, but He does want us to seek Him out. Which requires action.
We might have to cast about to see His Kingdom. There may be days we will strive and struggle to experience the Kingdom.
The Kingdom may also be found when we look for it with a new understanding, to realize it may not be just what we
thought it was. Do you ever wonder just where it is?
Is it way out there somewhere?
Is it somewhere you look forward to going to in the future?
The Kingdom of God is wherever He lives. If He lives in you, His Kingdom is there. If He lives in your family, His Kingdom is there. If He lives in the homeless person on the corner, His Kingdom is there. His Kingdom is here and now.
To seek first the kingdom of God means to become aware of His presence, to realize His desires and to look on life with His eyes. Do you choose this day to seek God first?
Spend some time with Him, be still and listen to what God has to say. Visit His scriptures, even if it’s just one verse and ponder on what He has to say to you throughout this day. God has a passion to be with you.
Father,
it is my desire to seek You first. I am so often distracted or think, I’ll finish this and then come to You. Please help me to see with Your eyes and be amazed of Your Kingdom’s presence in this world. Slow me down so I can enjoy my life with You. Right now I seem to be so busy, life is so demanding, but my heart wants to be with You, for You to show me just how precious I am to You. Help me to look for Your Kingdom in the people I meet today. Open my heart and mind so I see Your Kingdom through Your eyes. Help me to come to You first and to see Your presence in the days ahead. I want the joy and peace that only You can give.
Amen
With The Savior 